Twin Hearts
by Sora53
Summary: ---Complete!---What would Kingdom Hearts be like if Sora had a twin sister? Please R and R!
1. The Dream

~~Hello, everyone! I hope you enjoy my attempt at a fanfic! Don't forget, this is my first one, so be nice when reviewing!!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but I own Corita. *Points to Corita* I OWN YOU!  
  
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Is that the best you can do?" sneered Riku. Sora was wincing in pain, leaning near a coconut tree.  
  
"Why do boys kill themselves like this?" asked Kairi.  
  
"Good question." said Corita.  
  
The two girls were sitting on the Paupu Tree, watching as Riku and Sora fought yet again. And, once again, Riku had claimed victory.  
  
Corita jumped down and walked over to Sora.  
  
"Are you alright?" she asked.  
  
"Yeah...I'll be fine. I always am." Sora said, standing up. Riku sighed and shook his head.  
  
"Why are you always so worried about him, Corita?"  
  
"Maybe it's that freaky twin bond thing." said Kairi. Sora trudged off, but Corita stayed behind.  
  
"He's my brother. What do you want me to do? Without me, he'd probably be lost somewhere!" Corita said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Where? There's no where to be lost here!" said Riku. "There's nothing to do here but beat up Sora, and believe it or not, that gets boring after the score's 47 to 1! And the one time he won, I fell off the island and was disqualified after a coconut fell on my foot!"  
  
"Aw, Riku lost to a coconut!" joked Kairi.  
  
The three friends followed the path off the island and walked down to the beach. It was a bright, sunny day on the Destiny Islands, as usual. Riku, Kairi and Corita sat on the dock, just talking to each other about everything, like all friends do. Eventually, the friends separated, and went home for lunch.  
  
"Mom! I'm home!" called Corita.  
  
"Oh, good! I thought you got into trouble!" her mother rushed into the room, sat her at the table and shoved some lunch in front of her all before finishing her sentence.  
  
"Um...thanks..." said Corita slowly. Her mother always worried about her.  
  
"Hey Corita." said Sora as she slowly walked over to the table.  
  
"Hi. Are you okay?" asked Corita.  
  
"Yeah, just a couple bumps and bruises, as usual."  
  
"Here, have some watermelon." offered Corita, and Sora sat down. The two ate their lunches in silence.  
  
"You two are awfully quiet today." remarked their mother.  
  
"I guess we're just bored." said Sora.  
  
"You should really do something else than just lay at the beach all day getting sunburned." she said.  
  
"There's nothing else to do!" moaned Corita. "This place is so boring!"  
  
"Well, just go and talk with Riku and Kairi. They always know how to cheer you up!" said their mother.  
  
Defeated, the twins walked down to the beach, looking for their best friends. They found Riku in a battle with Tidus. "Don't let him win again, Tidus! Whack him now! NOW! Ow, that's gonna hurt!" Sora called out. Corita watched in silence.  
  
"Why do you guys always do that if you only get hurt?" she remarked as Tidus limped away, defeated as usual.  
  
"It's a way to assert our dominance over the other boys." Riku joked.  
  
Corita sighed.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The warm sun felt good on Corita's face. She lay on the warm sand, watching the clouds roll by. The warm sun made her feel drowsy.  
  
"This is pathetic. We haven't done this since we were five!" said Riku.  
  
"Um...that one looks like a tree!" said Kairi.  
  
"That one looks like a coconut. Or Riku's head." Sora said.  
  
"Hey, look! That's one's in the shape of a heart!" said Riku.  
  
A heart....  
  
A heart...  
  
Riku's voice echoed in Corita's head as she nodded off to sleep.  
  
She was falling.  
  
Corita looked around, searching for some light, as she fell through the darkness. It almost smothered her, making it hard to even breathe. She frantically looked, straining her eyes. At last, she felt solid ground on her feet. Nervously, she took a few steps. Suddenly, the darkness around her erupted into hundreds of doves, all flying towards the only light she could see: the ceiling. At least, she thought it was the ceiling....  
  
"So much to do....so little time..."  
  
Corita whirled around, searching for who had spoken. She saw and heard nothing. Suddenly, the ground began to shake, and it gave out under her. She was falling again, falling into the darkness. When she landed, she was on a brightly lit glass floor, with several designs she'd never seen before. One of them was of a beautiful woman, and several smaller ones, all surrounding the woman. Suddenly, she heard the voice again.  
  
"Choose well..."  
  
Suddenly, 4 stands came out of the ground. On one was a silver sword. On another was a red and black shield. On another was a green and blue staff. The final weapon was a different staff, blue and white, like a cloud. Corita wandered around, observing the weapons, remembering what the voice had told her. Finally, she chose the blue and white staff. It felt good in her hands, light and easy to use.  
  
"Is this the power you see?" questioned the voice.  
  
"Um...yes?" said Corita nervously. She'd never really talked to a disembodied voice before.  
  
"Very well. Now, what will you give up in return?" said the voice as the staff disappeared in a flash of light.Corita turned towards the remaining weapons. Immediately, she went over to the sword and picked it up. She'd never liked fighting much, so it was an easy choice to make.  
  
"You give up this power?" asked the voice.  
  
"Yes." said Corita. The sword disappeared in another flash of light.  
  
Almost immediately after, the ground began to rumble.  
  
"Not again..." murmured Corita as she started to fall into the darkness. This time, she landed on a platform much like the first, only this one had a different woman with a beautiful golden-yellow dress. She got up and walked a few feet. Suddenly, in a flash of light, the staff she'd chosen earlier appeared in her hands. Happy to be armed with something in the darkness of her dreams, she continued forward. Suddenly, in an instant, a small bug-like creature appeared before her in a dark flash. It was completely black, except for its bulging yellow eyes. It creeped up to her slowly.  
  
Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her back and whirled around. Three more of the bug things were behind her! She whirled around, and with one swift motion, brought her staff down onto the creatures head. After a few whacks, the creature disappeared in a flash of dark light.  
  
Corita did the same for the other 3, and chuckled softly. This wasn't so hard!  
  
Suddenly, out of the darkness, about 10 more of the creatures appeared. She gripped her staff tightly, when it suddenly disappeared in a flash of light. She was surrounded by these dark creatures. They slowly approached her, and jumped at her... "WHOA!" cried Corita, jumping a foot in the air. She looked around, stunned. Suddenly, she saw two familiar faces.  
  
"Corita, um...are you okay?" asked Kairi.  
  
"Yeah...I just fell asleep, that's all..." she replied.  
  
"Yeah, Sora did to, but he's still asleep." Riku pointed to Sora, who was laying asleep peacefully on the beach.  
  
"But it didn't seem like a dream..."  
  
"If you're sure." Kairi replied.  
  
"It must not have been, it was so real..."  
  
"Huh...?" Sora groaned. The three looked over, and Sora woke up fully, staring at the sky. Kairi walked over and looked down at him.  
  
"AH!" cried Sora, sitting up swiftly. Turning around, he looked at his friends.  
  
"Is it really you guys?" He cried.  
  
"Sora, calm down! What happened?" asked Corita.  
  
"This huge black THING! It tried to kill me but it couldn't and the darkness, and"  
  
"HEY! Be quiet! So you had a bad dream. So did your sister, but she's not getting hysterical." Riku said calmly.  
  
"IT WASN'T A DREAM!" Sora and Corita yelled at the same time.  
  
"Okay, this is getting scary. Not to mention the whole island can hear you." Kairi said.  
  
"Okay, just calm down." Corita muttered to herself.  
  
Sora looked at her. "Were there these black things in your dream?"  
  
Corita nodded. "They looked like bugs."  
  
"And the voice..." they said together.  
  
"Well, I'de love to share the joy of twins sharing dreams, but I've got to go train." Riku walked off.  
  
Kairi turned towards them "Just..get some rest tonight, okay?"  
  
The two nodded, and Kairi followed Riku away. Corita and Sora stared at each other.  
  
"Maybe...it's a coincidence?" wondered Sora.  
  
"Yeah, that must be it!" agreed Corita. The 2 stood up and wandered after their friends.  
  
~~And that's the end of chapter 1! Please review!~~ 


	2. Night of Fate

~~Hello everyone! It's me again! Yes, you have to deal with me FOREVER! I hope you liked the first chapter,I can promise it gets better. This chapter is, well...just read it.~~  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I own Corita. WAHAHA!  
  
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"And then, this GIANT black THING attacked me! It was huge! There wasn't one in your dream?"  
  
"No, just the little things."  
  
Sora and Corita were sharing their dreams with one another, sitting on the beach. The sun was starting to set, and it gave the islands a reddish glow.  
  
"Hey, it's getting late. We should go find Riku and Kairi." Corita stated.  
  
"Alright." Sora said. The twins stood up and walked over to where they usually spent the sunset with their friends, the Paupu Tree.  
  
"So...suppose you did get to another world. What would you do there?" Kairi asked Riku.  
  
"Well, I...haven't really thought about it." Riku mumbled.  
  
"Hey guys. What's up?" Sora asked, sitting on the Paupu Tree.  
  
"Just talking, as usual." Riku said.  
  
Riku leaned against the Paupu Tree in his usual place as Sora, Kairi and Corita sat on top of it. They all stared off into the sunset, creating an akward silence.  
  
"So..." said Kairi, shattering the silent air, "What do you guys want to do?"  
  
"Nothing, I guess." Corita said.  
  
"Wha?" Sora said.  
  
Riku sighed. "Brain's still on that dream?"  
  
"No, not really. I just can't think of anything. This place is boring!" Sora said.  
  
"Then let's go." Riku said quietly. His friends turned and looked at him.  
  
"How?" Kairi said. "Remember when we tried that before with the boat?"  
  
"Yeah, but that was a fishing boat. It wasn't built for the ocean." Riku pointed out.  
  
"I don't know. I mean, we don't know what's out there." said Corita.  
  
"But we do know what's here, and that's nothing." Riku said.  
  
Another akward silence followed, and eventually, the sun went down. The friends went their separate ways, and went home. Sora and Corita walked into their home, and walked to their rooms.  
  
Corita stared into her mirror, and the mirror stared back. She saw the same thing she saw every day: A messy brown haired, blue eyed teenager, just like her brother. She put on her pajamas and laid on her bed, watching the final rays of sunlight disappear underneath the ocean. Sighing, she covered her head with her pillow.  
  
"Sora, Corita, dinner!"  
  
Corita pulled herself up from her bed and walked down the stairs to the kitchen.  
  
"Corita, will you go get your brother?" said her mother, hurrying to finish the final preparations.  
  
Corita walked back up the stairs, and knocked on Sora's door.  
  
"Sora, dinner!"  
  
No relpy. Corita opened the door, and entered. Being careful to avoid stepping on any of the junk in his room, she walked over to his bed. "Sora?"  
  
Corita peered out the window next to Sora's bed and gasped.  
  
There was a huge storm outside. Not just any storm. A dark orb hung over the island that was their home. Corita ran to her room and pulled on whatever was closest, a T-shirt and some shorts. She pulled on her blue and white shoes and ran downstairs. Something told her that Sora was in trouble.  
  
"Hm, quite a storm out there, huh? Corita? What's wrong?" Sora's mom said as Corita rushed past.  
  
"Nothing Mom, I'm just going to get Sora." Corita huffed. She rushed outside and looked around. The entire island was darkened by the storm.  
  
Corita ran out onto the beach and looked around. Leaning down, she saw Sora's footprints in the sand.  
  
She was about to stand up, when a blast knocked her down. Spinning around, she saw something only her nightmares could produce.  
  
It was a dark bug creature from her dream! In fact, they were everywhere! She looked around, but she had nothing to fight them with. Instead, she ran, searching for her brother and her friends. The creatures followed behind her as she ran.  
  
"Sora!" Corita cried, straining her ears for any sound. She picked up what sounded like Riku's voice. Sounding like it came from the Paupu Tree, Corita followed the path to the island on which it rested."Sora!" she cried.  
  
"Corita, come knock some sense into your brother!" called Riku. Riku and Sora stood face to face on the island. Corita ran to Sora's side. For some reason, the creatures stayed put on the bridge.  
  
"What's going on?" she asked.  
  
"We're leaving!" Riku said.  
  
"How?" Sora asked nervously.  
  
"We'll use the darkness." Riku said quietly.  
  
"I think you're crazy!" Corita said.  
  
"We've just gotta find Kairi. She's coming too!" Riku said. Riku held out his hand, offering the twins to follow him into the darkness.  
  
"Riku..." Sora began.  
  
Suddenly, dark light flew up from underneath Riku. It covered him, coating him in a coat of darkness. Corita stepped away, afraid. Sora ran towards his friend, when the dark lights shot up from underneath him. He tried to reach his best friend, but the darkness covered him, rooting him in place. Corita could only watch and wait.  
  
Suddenly, everything when black.  
  
Corita whirled around, searching for some glimmer of light, some glimmer of hope. But all she could see was darkness. Suddenly, a flash of light appeared, and the light seemed to swallow the darkness. In an instant, she was back on the Destiny Islands, next to Sora. Sora's eyes met hers, and they looked at each other.  
  
"Hey, what's this?" Sora looked down, and in his hand, he held what appeared to be a giant key.  
  
"Keyblade..."  
  
Corita and Sora whirled around, looking for the voice they'd heard in their dreams. But nothing greeted them except for a dark bug creature from their dreams.  
  
"Do something!" Corita whispered urgently.  
  
"What?" Sora said back.  
  
"WHACK IT!"  
  
Sora obeyed Corita and brought the key down on top of the creatures' head. Almost instantly, the creature vanished in a puff of dark smoke.  
  
"Well, at least now we have a weapon." Sora said nervously.  
  
"That's always a good thing..." Corita said.  
  
"Hey, wait a second. Where's Riku?" Sora asked.  
  
The two whirled around, hoping to catch a glimpse of silver hair. But they saw nothing.  
  
"C'mon, let's go find Kairi."  
  
The twins hurried away, stopping only to fight off a few of the bug-like things, and hurried on. Eventually, they came to the Secret Place. Sora, Corita and Riku had often played there as children, and it held many memories.  
  
"Let's check in here!" Corita said, dragging Sora inside.  
  
The Secret Place was normally dim, but tonight, the two could barely see anything.  
  
"Be careful." Sora said, stepping over a tree root.  
  
"Oh, no, I won't be." Corita said sarcastically.  
  
Eventually, they came to the central room of the Secret Place. There, standing in front of the mysterious "door" that no one knew much about, was Kairi.  
  
"Kairi!" Sora called out urgently. Kairi slowly turned towards him.  
  
"Sora...." she said slowly.  
  
Suddenly, behind her, the "door" burst open, letting out a gust of dark air. Kairi flew towards Sora's open arms, but flew right threw him. The powerful wind was too much for the two, and it pushed them out of the Secret Place, into the darkness beyond.  
  
"Ugh..." Sora moaned.  
  
"Ugh..." Corita moaned.  
  
"Corita? Are you okay?"  
  
"I think so, are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Where are we, anyway?"  
  
Sora and Corita stood up, and dusted themselves off. Looking around, they didn't see anything they really wanted to see.  
  
"WHOA!" They both yelled and fell backwards.  
  
"Wouldn't want to fall down there." Sora remarked as he peered over the edge of the tiny island like piece of land floating in space.  
  
"Yeah, that would be a bad thing..." Corita muttered, looking down. "Where are we, Sora?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
Turning around, the twins saw something very unwelcoming.  
  
"AHH!!!" Corita cried, hiding behind Sora. "What is that?!?"  
  
"It's the thing I told you about from my dream!"  
  
It was true. Before them stood a giant creature who could've once looked like a human. Wild dark 'hair' covered its bulging yellow eyes, and it's huge hands and feet looked ready to crush. Not to mention it had a heart shaped hole through its stomach. And it didn't look happy.  
  
"Sora...do something!" Corita said as the creature moved slowly towards them.  
  
"Okay! Watch out, Corita!" Sora said as he took out the key and attacked the giant creature from his dreams. Corita could only watch and wait.  
  
Eventually, the giant creature started to topple over. Sora ran back to Corita, breathing hard.  
  
"You okay?" Corita asked.  
  
"Yeah...wasn't hard...just a lot of...jumping..."  
  
Suddenly, a powerful gust of air pulled the giant creature up towards the dark orb hovering above. Sora and Corita grabbed onto some debris, but it just wasn't enough.  
  
"No!!!!!...." they cried as their voices were drowned out by the rushing of the wind.  
  
~~Um...that's it for now! Please review!~~ 


	3. New kids on the block

~~HELLO! Yes, I know this update is a little late than what I usually do, but this chapter is nice and long. Happy reading!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I own Corita. WAHAHA!  
  
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"Oh, boy." Sora grumbled. "Now what?"  
  
Sora didn't know what to do. He was lost in a strange world, his sister and his best friends were gone, and there was no one to help him.  
  
Looking up at the sign labeled "Accessory Shop", Sora walked in, hoping to find some help.  
  
"May I help you? Oh, it's just a kid." The store owner said.  
  
"I'm not a kid! And the name's Sora!" Sora growled, walking up to the front desk.  
  
"Okay, okay. Simmer down. What's wrong, Sora? I haven't seen you around here before."  
  
"I guess that would be because I've never been here before..." Sora mumbled.  
  
"Huh?" said the store owner.  
  
So Sora explained his situation to the store owner, and the puzzled man explained where they were.  
  
"Traverse Town....so, is this really another world?" Sora asked.  
  
"I guess so, I know it ain't your island." said the grumpy store owner.  
  
"Go look for your sister and friends. If you can't find 'em, I'll help ya. By the way, the name's Cid." said the owner.  
  
"Okay Cid, I'll do that."  
  
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"Oh, boy." Corita grumbled. "Now what?"  
  
Corita, much like her brother, was lost in a strange town. Looking around, she saw a small cafe, what appeared to be two huge doors, and a small shop. Not knowing what to do, she walked into the small item shop, and was greeted by 3 quacking ducklings.  
  
"HI!!!" They cried.  
  
"Um...hello!" Corita said nervously. "How are you today?"  
  
"We're fine!" said the one in a red shirt.  
  
"How are you?" said the one in a green shirt.  
  
"I'm...okay, I guess." Corita said.  
  
"What's wrong?" said the one in a blue shirt.  
  
"Nothing...I'm just a little lost."  
  
"WE'LL HELP YOU!" they yelled and jumped onto the counter. "Whatcha need?"  
  
"Okay..." Corita said. "Where are we?"  
  
"You don't know where we are?" The ducklings asked, confused.  
  
"Nope. No clue."  
  
The three looked at each other and nodded.  
  
"Don't worry. This happens all the time now!" said the red one. "I'm Huey, by the way."  
  
"I'm Dewey!" said the one in blue.  
  
"I'm Louie!" the one in green stated.  
  
"It's very nice to meet all of you." Corita said. "What do you mean, it happens all the time?"  
  
"Ever since the Heartless came..." said Dewey sadly.  
  
"The Heartless?" Corita asked.  
  
"Well, we don't know much about them, but Leon does! Go ask him!" said Huey cheerfully.  
  
"Okay. Thanks for your help!" Corita said.  
  
As soon as she was about to leave, the three ducklings waddled over to her and stopped her.  
  
"Wait! We have a present for you!" Louie said.  
  
"Really?" Corita said.  
  
Huey walked over to her, holding a bright blue staff. It was a brighty colored staff, with a tiny yellow bell on the top.  
  
"Use it to kick some major Heartless behind!" the three ducklings said.  
  
"Thank you so much!" Corita said. She gave the three a hug, and walked out.  
  
"And if you find him, tell Donald we said hello!" Huey called.  
  
"Don't forget to stop by for stuff like potions and weapons!" Dewey called.  
  
"Make sure to wipe your shoes when you come in!" Louie called.  
  
Corita chuckled. That was the first time she'd ever met talking ducks!  
  
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"Where's everybody?" Sora wondered, wandering around the Second District. While the First District had been lively and exciting, the Second District seemed emptied of all life. He arrived at the front door again, and leaned against it.  
  
"Maybe they're still on the island...?" Sora wondered outloud.  
  
He had no time to ponder this, though. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, Sora saw something unbelieveable. In an instant, he saw a young man running from the hat shop, and fall to the ground. Suddenly, a dark creature appeared. Something shaped like a heart seemed to fly out of the man, but it didn't quite look like one. It was shiny and had a reddish glow to it. The heart flew over to the creature, who then dissapeared in a flash. The man seemed to dissapear as well.  
  
Sora ran out to help him, but he was too late.. Instead, he was greeted by about 5 of the small bug like creatures that had invaded his home.  
  
"It's those creatures from the island!" Sora cried.  
  
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"It's those creatures from the island!" Corita cried.  
  
Taking out her staff, Corita turned towards the 2 black creatures that were slowly making their way over to her. Looking at her staff, she did the only thing she could. She brought the staff down onto the creature's head. Dazed, the creature shook its head and continued in their pursuit.  
  
Corita soon learned that it sometimes took more than one hit to kill them, but she soon fended them off. Running up the stairs of the First District, she ran into the Accessory Shop.  
  
"Hey there Sora! How can I...you're not Sora, are you?" said Cid.  
  
"You met Sora?" Corita asked.  
  
"Yeah, he was in here a little while ago."  
  
"Where did he go?" Corita cried.  
  
"Calm down there, kiddo. He went to look for his friends, and his sister." Cid said.  
  
"Oh, boy." Corita said.  
  
"Don't worry. He'll be back soon."  
  
"Still..." Corita said. "Thank's for your help, um...what's your name?"  
  
"Cid. And you are?"  
  
"Corita."  
  
"Good luck finding your brother, Corita." Cid said.  
  
Corita ran out of the Accessory Shop. Looking around, she decided to try her luck in the Second District. Running up the stairs, more of the black creatures appeared before her eyes.  
  
"Not again..." Corita groaned, but took out her staff anyway, and fought the creatures fiercly. Continuing along, she ran into the First District, and all the way to the Gizmo Shop.  
  
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Sora ran from the Item's Shop, where the ducklings said they had aided his sister, back to the Accessory Shop.  
  
"Hello Corita? Find your...you aren't Corita, are you, Sora?"  
  
"She's been here, too?" Sora moaned.  
  
"Yep, she was in here about 5 minutes ago. Maybe she'll come back! Take a break!" Cid offered.  
  
"No, I've got to find her!"  
  
"Well, good luck. I hope you find her before the Heartless get her."  
  
"Heartless?"  
  
"Well, I don't know much about them, but Leon does! Go ask him!" Cid said.  
  
Sora groaned, and walked out of the shop.  
  
"They'll come at you out of nowhere." a man's voice said. Sora whirled around.  
  
"Who are you?" he asked.  
  
"And they'll keep coming at you, as long as you continue to wield the Keyblade." Stepping into view was a young man.  
  
"But why?" he continued. "Why would it choose a kid like you?"  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora asked.  
  
"Never mind. Now, let's see that Keyblade."  
  
"WHAT?" Sora cried, taking out the Keyblade. "There's no way you're getting this!"  
  
"Alright, have it your way." The man said, taking out his gunblade.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Corita ran into the Gizmo Shop and looked around. All of the machienes were turned off. There was an eerie silence to the room.  
  
"Hey, kiddo!" a voice called.  
  
Corita whirled around and took out her staff, ready to fight. What she saw was a young woman approaching her.  
  
"You okay?" she said.  
  
"I'm fine." Corita said grumpily.  
  
"You sure? You seem a little tense."  
  
"Tense? Me? I'm not tense! What makes you think that?"  
  
"Um, you're pointing your staff directly at my face."  
  
"Okay, maybe I am tense!" Corita said, taking down her staff.  
  
"You know, you look kinda familiar. Why don't you come with me?" she said.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because I know of someone who you may want to meet up with."  
  
"Well, okay. I guess I have nothing to lose." Corita shrugged.  
  
"I'm Yuffie, by the way."  
  
"I'm Corita."  
  
The two walked out of the Gizmo Shop and into the Hotel nearby. Yuffie led Corita to the Green Room of the hotel.  
  
"SORA!" Corita cried. Corita ran over to her brother, who was laying on the bed.  
  
"Shh, he's resting. He just got beaten badly." said another voice. Turning around, Corita saw a mysterious man leaning against the wall of the Green Room.  
  
"Uh?" Sora groaned. He slowly started to sit up. Yuffie walked over to him.  
  
"You okay?" she asked. Sora nodded his head.  
  
"Those creatures who attacked you are after the Keyblade, but it's your heart they really want, because you wield the Keyblade."  
  
"Uh?" Sora said. "Kairi? Is that you?"  
  
"Kairi? Who are you talking about? I'm the great ninja Yuffie!" Yuffie said.  
  
"I think you may have overdone it, Squall!" Yuffie called over to the man.  
  
"That's Leon." he said grumpily.  
  
"SORA!" Corita said happily, running over to him. "Are you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine, Corita. What about you?" Sora said.  
  
"I'm great! Don't worry about me, I'm supposed to worry about you, little brother!"  
  
"You're his older sister?" Leon asked Corita.  
  
"By about 7 minutes." Corita said proudly.  
  
"Let's not talk about age right now." Yuffie said.  
  
"Yes, we have more important things to discuss." Leon said. "Like this." Leon picked up the Keyblade, which had been leaning against the wall.  
  
"It's hard to believe, that you, of all people are the Chosen One." Leon said, and suddenly, the Keyblade dissapeared in a twist of light and reappeared in Sora's hands.  
  
"Well, I guess beggars can't be choosers." Leon said, approaching the bed.  
  
"Why don't you start telling us information we can understand?" Corita said.  
  
"Yeah, what's going on?" Sora said.  
  
Yuffie took in a long breath. "Well, you know that there are many different worlds, right?"  
  
"I guess so." Sora said.  
  
"Well, the worlds use to be isolated, never connected." Leon said. "Before the Heartless came."  
  
"The Heartless...the ducklings in the item shop mentioned them!" Corita said.  
  
"The Heartless are beings without hearts." Leon said.  
  
"Well, that's creative!" Corita said. Leon shot a dark glance at her.  
  
"The Heartless have great fear of the Keyblade. They also seek the heart of the one who wields it. That's why they're going to keep coming after you, no matter what." Leon said.  
  
"Well, I didn't ask for this!" Sora cried.  
  
"The Keyblade chooses its master. And it chose you!" Yuffie said.  
  
"So, tough luck." Leon said.  
  
"This is really confusing..." Sora grumbled.  
  
"Don't worry. Soon, you'll get used to the fact that you're the Keyblade Master!" Yuffie said.  
  
"Hey, wait a minute. What about our Island, Sora?" Corita asked.  
  
"You know what? I don't know." Leon said.  
  
Yuffie looked at Sora. "I've heard the Keyblade can open just about anything. Try it out sometime!"  
  
"I will." Sora said.  
  
Sora walked over to Leon. "So...can we go look for our friends now?"  
  
"Not yet. It's still too dangerous for you." Leon said. "Your sister, too."  
  
"Corita? Why her?" Sora looked over at his sister.  
  
"Because, you two are twins."  
  
"Observant, aren't we?" Corita mumbled. "I'm not the one who's being stalked by Heartless things!"  
  
"You two pretty much share a heart. I'm not talking an organ here, the spirit of a person. The Heartless will be after you, too." Leon said to Corita. "After all, you two share everything from appearance to a heart."  
  
"Great. Now I'm being stalked by Heartless things, too. Thanks, Sora." Corita grumbled.  
  
"Hey, I didn't want this!" Sora said.  
  
"Hey, calm down, you too! Leon, let them out!" Yuffie said.  
  
Leon sighed.  
  
"Fine. Aerith should be ready now, anyway." He relectantly started to open the door.  
  
"LEON!" Yuffie cried, and pointed to the center of the room, where a dark orb was forming. Suddenly, a different type of Heartless appeared. This one looked rather comical, almost like a clown. It seemed to have an odd hat thing on, and it had long, piercing claws, almost as piercing as it's eyes. It also had a heart on its chest with a cross in it.  
  
"Yuffie, go!" he cried. Leon instantly whipped out his gunblade and rammed it at the creature, tossing it out of the hotel window.  
  
"C'mon, you two, let's go!" Leon cried, jumping out of the window after the creature.  
  
Seeing Leon leap out of the window, Sora and Corita had second thoughts.  
  
"Let's use the door." Corita said.  
  
"Good idea." Sora said.  
  
Running through the halls of the hotel, the twins were stopped by a few of the dark orbs appearing. "So, these are the Heartless..." Sora muttered as the creatures took shape. He took out his Keyblade, and next to him, Corita took out her staff.  
  
"Where'd you get that?" Sora asked.  
  
"The ducklings in the Item Shop gave it to me." Corita answered.  
  
The siblings soon learned that this type of Heartless was quite different from the other type. This type attacked quick and often.  
  
"C'mon, we've got to find Leon!" Sora said as soon as they'd defeated the Heartless.  
  
They ran out into the Second District and ran down the stairs. They were stopped by what seemed to be a cloud of the dark orbs appearing in the sky.  
  
"AH!" they cried, knowing they were outnumbered. About 15 of the Heartless had just appeared, along with several of the bug like creatures.  
  
"C'mon Sora!" Corita said bravely, holding up her staff. They charged at the Heartless, but didn't quite need to attack. Suddenly, Leon swooped out of the air with his Gunblade, wiping out at least half of the Heartless. The twins fended off the others, and walked over to Leon, breathing hard.  
  
"How often...do you...do this?" Corita asked.  
  
Leon looked at her. "Let's just say I've lived here for about 10 years."  
  
"Oh boy." Sora groaned.  
  
"Like I said, tough luck." Leon said.  
  
"Anyway, looks like it's another Heartless Invasion. They happen every so often." Leon turned to them. "If you guys don't want to become Heartless too, I suggest you try to find the leader of the invasion, and fast." With that, Leon ran off, into the alleyway.  
  
Sora turned to his sister. "C'mon Corita, let's go!"  
  
"Okay. If we couldn't save the island, we can at least save a world we've never heard of." Corita said.  
  
"Let's look in the Third District. I don't know about you, but I haven't been there yet."  
  
"I haven't, either. Let's go!"  
  
Sora started dragging Corita along in the path of the Third District.  
  
"Sora...I can walk, you know."  
  
"Oh, sorry Corita. I guess I just want to..."  
  
"...find Kairi, right?"  
  
Sora turned to his sister. "No! Not that! I'm just...worried about our friends.  
  
"Sora, I'm a girl. I know this stuff."  
  
Sora blushed, and started running towards the Third District. Corita followed him, and they ran into the Third District.  
  
~~That's all for now! *Creepy ending music plays* O_O Uh, please review!~~ 


	4. DONALD, BE QUIET!

~~Hi everyone! Sorry this chapter is a little late, It's the end of the school year and I have final exams. *grr* Anyway, please R+R!!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I own Corita. WAHAHA!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"It's quiet. Too quiet." Sora remarked as they walked into the District.  
  
"Oh, be quiet. Let's go!" Corita pulled as Sora's arm and they ran down the stairs together.  
  
"WHOA! LOOK OUT BELOW!"  
  
"Oof!" Sora and Corita moaned as something fell on top of them. Not, something, someone! Someones!  
  
"The Key!" the strangers said, looking at the Keyblade.  
  
Suddenly, the ground started to rumble.  
  
"Oh, no..." Corita groaned.  
  
Out of the ground, giant blockades were shooting up, blocking their exit. The two mysterious people who had fallen on the twins lept up, so Sora and Corita took the opportunity, as tons of dark orbs were appearing everywhere, Heartless creatures appearing from them.  
  
"Hey, you can fight, right?" Sora asked the strangers.  
  
"No problem!" They called.  
  
"Let's go!" Corita said.  
  
The Heartless didn't need to be told to attack. It seemed like they had no specific battle plan. They attacked without mercy, and they attacked often. The 4 were running out of energy by the time they'de fought off the army of Heartless.  
  
"Now...how do we get out of here?" Corita asked.  
  
She didn't get an answer. Suddenly, the ground started to rumble again. This time, the rumbles were far more powerful than they were before. Out of the sky dropped a giant creature, larger than either of the twins had ever seen. It looked like 2 hands, 2 legs, a torso, and a leg all held together by an unseeable force. It also had the Heartless symbol on its torso.  
  
"Um...Sora?" Corita asked.  
  
"We can take it on!" Sora said.  
  
"Let's get it!" one of the strangers cried.  
  
Sora and the 2 others approached the Heartless leader of Traverse Town, ready to fight. Corita, however, hesitated.  
  
"What if something goes wrong...?" She wondered.  
  
"C'mon Corita! We need all the help we can get!" Sora yelled, taking a whack at one of the monster's arms.  
  
Corita nodded, and ran forward, staff in hand.  
  
As the Heartless realized it was outnumbered, it seemed to fight harder. Without warning, it twisted its arms in one direction as if winding them up, and then spun them quickly like a fan. Luckily, the battlers were shorter than the Heartless, so the attack was easy to avoid.  
  
"C'mon!" Sora cried, leaping into the air to attack its head.  
  
Bad idea.  
  
The Heartless leader spun its arms at just the right moment to send Sora flying across the battlefield.  
  
"Sora!" Corita screamed as he landed heavily on the ground.  
  
Suddenly, something happened to her. Corita lifted her staff in the air, and a strange feeling flowed into her mind. All she could think about was Sora, and how he was badly injured. The feeling quickly flowed out of her by the path of the staff. Her staff seemed to glow green, and the energy seemed to flow towards Sora. Corita stared in awe at the staff, then ran to her brother, who was awakening.  
  
"Wha?" Sora groaned.  
  
"Sora!" Corita cried, running to his side. "Are you okay?"  
  
"Yeah...what just happened??" he asked.  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
"CORITA! LOOK OUT!"  
  
Of course, the Heartless Leader of Traverse Town wasn't going to let the Keyblade Master and his twin sister recover. Its arms weren't, at least. Luckily, the two just managed to avoid being injured further.  
  
"Let's finish this now!" Sora said, running at the creature.  
  
Corita was still confused, but wasn't going to let that stop her from helping her brother and 2 strangers who were hacking away at a giant creature who was trying to kill them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Look at that!" Sora said, pointing to a glowing blue orb in the shape of a heart. The heart flowed out of the defeated leader of Traverse Town, who now lay in a heap in the middle of the Third District.  
  
"So, that's what a heart looks like..." Corita said.  
  
"Ahem!"  
  
Sora and Corita turned around, and saw the strangers who had literally dropped in. They were quite the comical pair, a very tall dog and a grumpy looking duck.  
  
"Alright, it's you, right?" The duck said, turning towards Sora.  
  
"Huh?" Sora said, puzzled.  
  
"Is it you?" He said, turning towards Corita.  
  
"I'm sorry, but we have no idea what you're talking about." Corita explained.  
  
"I know I saw one of you with it! I just can't tell, you look so much alike..."  
  
"You mean this?" Sora said, taking out the Keyblade. It seemed to have an eerie glow in the moonlight.  
  
"YES! That's it!" The duck cried, leaping up and down.  
  
"They too have been seeking the wielder of the Keyblade." A voice behind them said.  
  
They all whirled around and saw Leon and Yuffie standing there.  
  
"It seemes everyone is..." Sora said.  
  
"You should be happy!" Corita said.  
  
"Well, anyway..." The duck said, tapping his foot from impatience. "You'll be coming with us."  
  
"What?" Corita said. "We don't have to do anything!"  
  
"Watch it!" The duck growled at Corita.  
  
"Why should we go with you?" Sora asked, pushing the 2 apart.  
  
"Well, we have special instructions." said the dog mysteriously.  
  
"Special instructions?" Corita asked.  
  
"We've been instructed to find the Keyblade Master and find our King!" grumbled the duck.  
  
"What? You mean, your King left and told you to find me, and then find him again?" Sora asked. They nodded.  
  
"Um, just about." The dog said.  
  
"Sora, go with them."  
  
They all looked at Leon, who'd just spoken.  
  
"Who knows? You may even find your friends!" Yuffie added.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so..." Sora groaned sadly.  
  
"We're going to other worlds to search for him on our vessal!" the dog said cheerfully.  
  
"Vessal?" Corita wondered.  
  
"But you can't come looking like that, understand?" The duck said.  
  
"No frowning! No sad face, okay!"  
  
"Yeah! You've gotta look funny, like us!" The dog said happily.  
  
"This boat runs on happy faces!" the duck said, pushing the dog away.  
  
"How cheesy." Corita said.  
  
"C'mon, smile!" they said to Sora.  
  
Finally, they got Sora to smile. When they did, they were rolling over with laughter.  
  
"That's one funny face!" The dog said.  
  
"Alright, why not? I'll go with you guys!" Sora said.  
  
"I guess I'm coming too." Corita said.  
  
"Donald Duck!" The duck said.  
  
"Name's Goofy!" The dog said.  
  
"I'm Sora." Sora said.  
  
"And I'm Corita!" Corita finished, all putting their hands in the center.  
  
"All for one and one for all!" Goofy finished.  
  
"How cheesy." Leon and Yuffie said together.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Sora, there's something I want to ask you about." Corita said.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
The twins were sitting together in the Green Room of the hotel. They were leaving soon with Donald and Goofy, who were at Donalds' nephew's item shop.  
  
"About the battle earlier..." Corita said slowly. "After the creature knocked you to the ground...what happened?"  
  
Sora sat in thought for a minute. "I don't know...I don't remember much before it, but when it happened, I felt like new again...ready to fight."  
  
The two sat for a moment in deep thought, thinking it through.  
  
"Why don't you ask Donald?" Sora said suddenly. "He's a magician, remember?"  
  
"Alright, I'll ask him, but he seems kind of short-tempered, don't you think?"  
  
"Only a little." Sora laughed.  
  
At that time, there was a knock on the door.  
  
"Come in!" Corita called.  
  
Donald and Goofy came in, although Sora and Corita could barely reconize them. They were carrying tons of green and blue containers in their arms, so it looked like it must have been hard to see if they were them.  
  
"We got the right room, right?" Donald asked.  
  
"Yeah. Do you need some help?" Sora asked, standing up and walking over to them.  
  
"Thanks!" Goofy said. "This is about all we'll need for now."  
  
"For now?" Corita asked.  
  
"You never know when the Heartless will attack!" Donald said.  
  
"What is this stuff?" Sora said, looking at one of the blue containers.  
  
"Not so fast!" Donald said, taking the container. Holding it up, he said "This is an ether. They're for me, since I'm the one who's casting the magic around here.  
  
"And these are potions!" Goofy said, holding up a green container. They'll give you the energy you need to fight the Heartless if you're hurt!"  
  
"Alright, give me some of them!" Sora said, taking some potions.  
  
"Donald, I need to talk to you." Corita said suddenly.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hmph! I'm supposed to be the only magic caster around here! Where's that door? You know, I've been training with magic for so long! You know how long! I don't even know how long! WHERE'S THAT DOOR? I..."  
  
"Donald, please be quiet!" Corita said.  
  
Corita had explained what had happened to Donald, who didn't seem thrilled with the idea. He had decided to take her to Merlin, an elderly old magician who lived in the Third District of Traverse Town. Since the leader of the town had just been defeated, there wasn't a Heartless to be seen. Donald, however, was still lost.  
  
"WHERE'S THAT DOOR?!?!?" he exclaimed.  
  
"Is this it?" Corita called, pointing to a door with a fire symbol on it.  
  
"Of course not, I would have found it...Oh, it is the door."  
  
They approached the door, and looked at it all over.  
  
"Doesn't look like we can get in." Corita remarked.  
  
"Don't be silly!" Donald said. "Only us magic folk can get in, but it requires a spell! Watch and learn!"  
  
Donald took a few steps ahead of Corita, standing about 8 feet from the door.  
  
"FIRE!" he cried, and a small blast of flame took off from the end of his staff, blasting him backwards. The door, however, did open.  
  
"Donald! Are you okay?" Corita asked.  
  
"Never felt better..." Donald said, standing up.  
  
Together they walked into the doorway and followed the path until they reached a small pond with large stepping stones. On a small island in the middle of the pond, there was a small house.  
  
"That's Merlin's house. Now, to get there, we jump." Donald said, walking to the water's edge.  
  
"That sounds easy!" Corita said, leaping onto the first stone.  
  
"Umm...Corita?" Donald said.  
  
"AHH! Why is this rock moving?" Corita said, holding onto the smooth stone as it moved back and forth.  
  
"Don't worry. It's just another addition of magic spells Merlin has. Just keep jumping and don't look down!"  
  
Donald and Corita jumped swiftly to the small island in the middle of the pond.  
  
"That was stressful." Corita said.  
  
"Let's go!" Donald said, pulling her along.  
  
They entered the small house. Inside, it was quiet, serene and peaceful. The house seemed pretty much empty of all life.  
  
"THIS is Merlin's house?" Corita asked Donald.  
  
"He moves around a lot." Donald explained.  
  
"Aha!" a voice said. Donald and Corita whirled around and saw an elderly man standing there. He wore blue robes and had a long beard.  
  
"What brings you two here? Sorry about the place being empty, I was about to leave for a trip."  
  
"Sorry to interrupt you." Donald said. "This is Corita, and she has some questions for you." Donald said, pushing Corita forward.  
  
"Um, hi!" Corita said. "I'm Corita!"  
  
The man nodded. "I'm Merlin. You had a question for me?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Oh, that's quite simple!" Merlin exclaimed.  
  
"Really?" Corita asked.  
  
"Of course! What you did was a cure spell, usually cast by a surge of emotion. It was your brother, right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Well, that explains it. You must be a Healer, then."  
  
"A Healer?"  
  
"A person who...well, heals."  
  
Donald groaned.  
  
"Something wrong, Donald?" Merlin asked.  
  
"I'm supposed to be the only one who can cast magic around here!" Donald said.  
  
"Well, don't worry. You cast the painful magic, and Corita here casts the healing magic." Merlin said.  
  
Corita sat in thought for a moment. "So, I can't really control it?"  
  
"Not now, you can't. Later, when you become stronger, you'll be able to cast it at will." Merlin said.  
  
"This is all really confusing..." Corita said.  
  
"Well, don't worry. If you have any more questions, I have a feeling you'll be coming to see me soon again anyway." Merlin said.  
  
"Thank you for your help." Corita said.  
  
"My pleasure." Merlin said.  
  
Donald pulled Corita out of the house, saying that they should leave him to his packing.  
  
"A Healer! I should have figured that out, it was quite simple, really! At least I can still cast spells that you'll never be able to! Ha! Now, where were we meeting Goofy and Sora?"  
  
"Donald, please be quiet again. We're meeting them at the Accessory Shop in the First District."  
  
"Of course! I knew that! I..."  
  
"DONALD!"  
  
"Okay, I'll be quiet."  
  
~~That's all for now! Remeber to review! I'll try to get it in earlier next time during the summer!~~ 


	5. Gummi Ship?

~~Yes, this chapter is very short. I know it. I just didn't want to go into a world with other stuff in the beginning, blah blah blah. So, enjoy the shortness!!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I own Corita. WAHAHA!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"There you are!" Sora sighed when Donald and Corita approached them. "We were getting worried!"  
  
"Sora, you're starting to sound like our mom." Corita warned. Sora quickly became silent.  
  
"Ya know, It's getting pretty late. Maybe we should spent the night here in town." Goofy suggested.  
  
"Good idea." Sora yawned.  
  
"It's always night here." Donald pointed out.  
  
"Good idea." Corita yawned.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"GOOD MORNING!" Goofy cheered, knocking Donald and Sora out of their beds.  
  
"Goofy, what time is it?" Sora asked, still half asleep.  
  
"It's 5:00 AM by my watch." Donald groaned.  
  
"Well, we need to make an early start, don't we?!?" Goofy said, full of pep."  
  
"Not this early..." Donald groaned.  
  
"Where's Corita?" Sora asked.  
  
"She's still sleeping next door." Goofy said happily.  
  
"Why's she still asleep?" Sora asked.  
  
"Becasue, she's a girl."  
  
"Thanks for pointing that out." Donald said, pulling the covers over his head.  
  
"She needs her beauty sleep!" Goofy cried.  
  
"Goofy, don't worry. Corita doesn't worry about beauty sleep. Besides, if I have to be awake, so does she!"  
  
Sora jumped off the ground and walked over to the door that would lead him to Corita's room. Before he could get there, the door burst open, and Corita ran in.  
  
"It's a great day, isn't it! So sunny, so bright!" Corita exclaimed.  
  
Sora looked out the window. "It's still dark outside!"  
  
"It's always dark in Traverse Town!" Goofy said as Corita and him began to sing.  
  
"It's morning! It's morning! I love ya, the morning! You're always...a night.....a.....way............!!!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
"SHUT IT!" Donald said, throwing a pillow at them. "Did you two have coffee for breakfast this morning or what?!?"  
  
"Is he always this energetic in the morning?" Sora asked Donald, covering his head with a pillow.  
  
"Yes. Is she?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Eventually, Sora and Donald managed to shut Goofy and Corita up. All four of them then stocked up on potions and ethers. ("No Corita! I get all the ethers! They're......MINE!!") And as you can tell, Donald and Corita had a fight over the ethers, greatly confusing Goofy and Sora. After a brief struggle, they left the hotel and walked back to the First District.  
  
Sora looked up. "Why is it always dark here?"  
  
"I don't know." Donald said, trudging along.  
  
"Leaving, are you?"  
  
They all turned around so fast they knocked Donald over. Standing there was Leon.  
  
"Do you like sneaking up on us like that?" Donald asked, brushing himself off.  
  
Leon shrugged. "It's a hobby. Now, don't forget. Be careful. Look for your friends. Don't" Leon glanced at Corita and Donald."fight. And, lastly, be careful."  
  
"Thanks for that." Sora grumbled.  
  
"Especially you two. Don't forget what I told you." Leon said to the twins.  
  
"Don't worry, we've heard this speech before." Corita said. At long last, they made it to the exit of the town.  
  
"Ready?" Donald asked.  
  
"Ready!" They responded.  
  
"Hey, what kind of vessal were you talking about before anyway?" Corita asked.  
  
"A gummi ship!" He answered with pride.  
  
"Um, a what ship?"  
  
"A gummi ship!"  
  
"Oh, of course..."  
  
Donald sighed impatiently.  
  
"It's like a giant rocket, but made with gummi blocks! Never mind, I'll explain it on the way there..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Cool! This is awesome!" Sora squealed, sitting in the cockpit of the gummi ship with Goofy. "I could do this every day!  
  
"Every day?" Corita groaned.  
  
"Are you okay back there Corita?" Goofy asked.  
  
"You look kind of sick." Donald remarked.  
  
"I just...don't like to fly..." She groaned.  
  
"Well, than cover your eyes and buckle up!" Goofy said.  
  
"Why?" Sora asked.  
  
"Because here come some Heartless ships!"  
  
"Aw, whe have to deal with them in space too?" Corita asked.  
  
"They followed us everywhere before, so imagine how much they'll be on our tails now that the Keyblade Master and his twin sister are here!" Donald said.  
  
Corita could only groan.  
  
"Fire some lasers at them!" Sora squealed.  
  
"Honestly Sora, you sound like you're 3 years old." Corita said.  
  
"Actually, that's a good idea. Looks like they're trying to shoot us out of the sky." Goofy said. He pressed a giant button labeled 'DON'T PRESS UNLESS HEARTLESS SHIPS ARE ATTEMPTING TO SHOOT YOU OUT OF THE SKY.' Giant lasers shot out of the side of the gummi ship, blasting the Heartless ships.  
  
"Well, that label was oddly specific." Corita said.  
  
Eventually, the air began to thin, and they could see a large mass in front of them, although it was too far away to tell exactly what it was.  
  
"What is that?" Sora asked.  
  
"It's a world, silly Billy!" Goofy said.  
  
"What world is it?" Corita asked.  
  
"I don't know! We've just gone to our castle and Traverse Town, and that's it! But who cares, the king may be down there!"  
  
"Yeah, and Kairi and Riku." Sora and Corita said together. ~~Yay for the shortness! See ya next time!~~ 


	6. Down the Rabbit Hole

~~^_^ Not much to say...hey, schools finally out for me! YAY! This chapter is longer than the last one, so happy reading!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I own Corita. WAHAHA!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Yay! We're FALLING!" Goofy cheered.  
  
"Stop it!" Donald shrieked.  
  
"I thought ducks were meant to fly." Sora pointed out.  
  
"I wasn't!" He cried.  
  
The 4 friends had gotten off the gummi ship at the new world they'd discovered. Naturally, they were now falling through what seemed like an endless hole.  
  
"How long has it been?" Corita wondered.  
  
"About 10 minutes." Sora answered.  
  
"This is kinda fun!" Goofy said, laying on his back as they slowly made their way to the ground. Sora, Donald and Corita landed with a small thump, but Goofy landed clumsily on his back.  
  
"Are you okay?" Corita asked.  
  
"Yeah, I guess so." Goofy answered.  
  
"OH! My fur and whiskers, I'm LATE!"  
  
They turned their heads and saw a very peculiar sight. There, running away from them, was a very large rabbit. What made him so odd was that he was wearing clothes, and held a watch in his hand.  
  
"Oh dear, oh dear, I'm here, I should be there! I'M LATE!" he cried as he turned the corner.  
  
They all just stood there for a minute, taking in what they'de just seen.  
  
"Where are we again?" Corita asked.  
  
"Let's just...keep going..." Sora said. The others agreed. Continuing through a strange doorway, they came into a room that seemed a bit too small for them. Below, they spotted the rabbit running through a tiny door.  
  
"How did he get so small?" Sora wondered, looking at the door.  
  
"No, you're simply too big." The door responded.  
  
"AH! It talks!" Donald said.  
  
"What kind of place is this?" Corita asked.  
  
"You don't know?" The door asked. "You're in Wonderland!"  
  
"Wonderland?"  
  
"Don't ask me. I'm just a door."  
  
"How did he get so small?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Try the bottle on the table." The door yawned. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going back to sleep."  
  
"Thanks for your help!" Sora said. The door, however, had already gone back to sleep.  
  
"So which one do we drink?" Corita asked.  
  
She had a point. There were two bottles on the table, a blue one and a pink one.  
  
"Just pick one at random, I guess..." Sora said. He then picked up the blue bottle and drank a small amount of it. Suddenly, a misty white fog appeared around him as Sora slowly began to shrink.  
  
"AH! Corita, since when are you so tall? Goofy, you were too tall to begin with! Even you look taller now, Donald!" Sora joked.  
  
"Be quiet, you little..." Donald began.  
  
"HEARTLESS!" Sora cried, taking out the Keyblade. It was true. Suddenly, several of the little bug like Heartless had materialized on the table. Sora began to take them on, as Corita, Goofy and Donald all took their turns at a sip of the liquid in the bottle. When they had all been defeated, Sora sighed.  
  
"Great. Heartless here too, huh?"  
  
"I guess we should continue on." Goofy said.  
  
"Um...how do we get down?" Corita asked. They all peered over the edge of the table, and it was true. The drop was only about 3 feet, but at a height of 5 inches, the fall could do some painful damage.  
  
"Hey guys, there's a chair over here!" Goofy said.  
  
So, they spent the next 10 minutes slowly making their way down the table, being very careful.  
  
Finally, they were all on the ground.  
  
"Let's go!" Corita cheered, walking forward.  
  
"Corita, turn around please."  
  
Behind them, many more Heartless had appeared, including a new type they had never seen before. They were red or blue and had odd "hats" on their head. They were very small and flew around in no paticular pattern and shot magic at them.  
  
"OW! That's going to leave a mark!" Corita said as she nursed a burn from one of the Heartless.  
  
"Well, you're the Healer, you do something about it!" Donald said sarcastically.  
  
"Be quiet!" Corita said as she slowly drank a potion to heal the wound. "UGH! This tastes terrible! I can't wait until I can actually do cure spells regularly..."  
  
"Hey, get used to it. This is what I've been drinking my whole life." Donald said. Corita glared at him, and he shut up.  
  
"Where to now?" Sora said.  
  
"We should probably follow the path the rabbit took." Goofy said.  
  
They into the doorway the rabbit had taken, and were taken to a small courtyard, where it seemed a trial was in session. The rabbit they'de seen earlier was perched on a tall tower near a "throne." Soldiers who seemed to be cards were stationed around the courtyard.  
  
"Have you anything to say in your defense?" said what appeared to be a very grumpy queen.  
  
"Of course. I've done absolutely nothing wrong!" said a young girl at the defendant's post.  
  
"What's going on?" Corita whispered to Sora.  
  
"You may be queen, but that doesn't give you the right to be so...so mean!" said the young girl.  
  
"I don't know. Why would that little girl be on trial?"  
  
"SILENCE!!! YOU DARE DEFY ME??!?!?" Screeched the queen.  
  
"Hey guys, we should help her out!" Sora said.  
  
"We're outsiders, so wouldn't that be muddling?" Goofy asked.  
  
"MEDDLING!" Donald said. It seemed that they'de gone over that before.  
  
"I find the defendant guilty as charged!"  
  
"Yeah, and that's against the rules!" Goofy said.  
  
"What rules?" Corita asked.  
  
"For the crimes of assault and attempted theft of my heart..."  
  
"Assault? Theft of her heart?" Sora said.  
  
"OFF WITH HER HEAD!" the queen shrieked.  
  
"C'mon guys!" Corita said, pulling at Donald and Goofy.  
  
"No! Oh, please no!" Cried the girl.  
  
"Hold it right there!" Sora yelled, followed by his sister and friends.  
  
"Who are you?" asked the queen. "How DARE YOU interfere with my court?"  
  
"Excuse me, but we know who the real culprit is!" Sora said meekly.  
  
"Uh huh! It's the Heart-" Goofy started to say, but covered his mouth first.  
  
"Anyway, she's not the one you're looking for!" Sora said.  
  
"That's nonsense! I ruled her guilty, she must be!" the queen raged.  
  
"That makes no sense!" Corita said.  
  
"Have you any proof?" the queen asked.  
  
"Uh, no, but I'm sure we could find some!" Sora said.  
  
"Fine. Find me proof of Alice's innocence! Until then, she remains locked up! Fail, and its off with your heads!" the queen said. And with that, the girl was taken to a cage and locked in.  
  
"We should go talk to her." Corita said, and let them to the cage.  
  
"Who are you?" the girl asked.  
  
"I'm Corita, and this is my twin brother Sora, and these are our friends, Goofy and Donald."  
  
"It's lovely to meet you, although I wish it was under better conditions. My name is Alice." she said.  
  
"Where did you come from?" Goofy asked.  
  
"I remember peering down a rabbit hole, and then tumbling downward, and I was immediately taken here! Apparently, I was guilty before I even took the stand!" Alice said.  
  
"That's crazy!" Sora said.  
  
"Well, look where my curiosity's gotten me..." Alice said.  
  
"SILENCE!" roared one of the card soldiers. "THE DEFENDANT WILL REMAIN SILENT!"  
  
With that, they slowly turned away, going to find proof of Alice's innocence.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
They took a door into a dense forest, where small amounts of light were filtering through the trees. Looking around, they could see several tall trees, large toadstools, and a huge stump in front of them.  
  
"What kind of evidence do we need?" Corita asked.  
  
"The evident kind, naturally!"  
  
Looking at the stump, the 4 friends saw the body of a cat dancing on its head. It stopped dancing, and placed its head on its shoulders. The cat had purple and magenta stripes, and had an eerie ear-to-ear grin.  
  
"WHO ARE YOU?!?" Donald raged.  
  
"Indeed, who am I? I don't know myself."  
  
"You aren't making any sense, you know that, right?" Goofy said.  
  
"Nothing in the world makes sense!" The cat said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Sora asked.  
  
"All upside sideways or downside upways thanks to the shadows!" the cat said.  
  
"You mean the Heartless?" Corita asked.  
  
"Are the Heartless shadows, or are shadows Heartless?"  
  
"You're giving me a migrane!" Donald groaned.  
  
"Everything heals but a broken heart." The cat said simply. "There are four pieces of evidence in all. One is hard to find, but I'm sure you'll figure it out." With a final flash of his smile, he vanished into thin air.  
  
"Should we trust him?" Donald said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey guys, look at this!" Corita called. Her friends ran to her, and she held up what appeared to be some Heartless antennea.  
  
"This'll be pretty good! Alright, what do we have now?" Sora said.  
  
"We have a photo of the footprints, some stench in a bottle, and now this!" Goofy said, putting the evidence in a bag.  
  
"One piece left to find!" Corita said. Donald glared at her.  
  
"You actually trust that annoying cat?" he said.  
  
"Yes, I do." Corita said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After some more jumping, hopping, falling, attacking Heartless and using potions, they finally found the last piece of evidence, the claw marks. With a single snap, the evidence was sealed.  
  
"Very good. You must be smarter than I thought!"  
  
The cat was staring at them as they gathered the evidence into the bag.  
  
"Yeah, so what's our 'big reward?'" Donald asked.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure someone who doesn't believe me wouldn't want it." The cat gave another huge grin. "But, this is for you." He said, looking at Corita and Donald.  
  
"For us?" Donald moaned.  
  
"Yes. It's a magic spell, I'm sure as soon as you figure it out, It will be very useful to you. The Healer, on the other hand, may not be able to use it until she perfects her healing." With another huge grin, the cat vanished.  
  
"How did he know I was a Healer?" Corita asked.  
  
"How did he know I didn't trust him?" Donald asked.  
  
"How did he know I don't cast magic?" Goofy asked.  
  
"How did he know I don't cast magic?" Sora asked.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Excuse me. Excuse me! EXCUSE ME!" Corita yelled.  
  
"Huh? What? WHAT IS IT?" The queen howled, who had dozed off in her seat.  
  
"We've gathered up all the evidence!" Sora said.  
  
"Ah, then let's see it!" she said.  
  
Together, they presented the evidence to the queen, who didn't even look at it.  
  
"Ah, that is quite a lot of evidence, but I'm still not convinced. GUARDS! BRING FORTH MY EVIDENCE!"  
  
The queens evidence was placed on the ground in a small pink box. The guards then placed the other evidence in other pink boxes.  
  
"Hmmm.....It would be a waste to look at all of them. YOU!" she shrieked, pointing at Sora. "PICK ONE FROM THE GROUP!"  
  
As she spoke, the boxes mixed themselves up, making it impossible to tell which was which.  
  
"Who, me?" Sora said.  
  
"YES! CHOOSE! ONE BOX!"  
  
"After all the trouble of collecting it all?"  
  
"DON'T YOU DEFY ME! CHOOSE NOW!"  
  
"Alright, I'll pick..."  
  
"Sora!" Corita whispered. "Pick the one in the middle! I'm pretty sure it's one of ours!"  
  
"Alright."  
  
Not wanting to think of what would happen if he picked the wrong box, Sora walked up to the pink boxes and picked up the middle one.  
  
"Are you sure?" The queen said in a sickly sweet voice.  
  
"Yep." Sora said, opening the box.  
  
"Whoa!" The queen said as an image of a Heartless appeared out of the box, and then vanished.  
  
"What was that?" she said.  
  
"There's your evidence. The Heartless did it, not Alice."  
  
"Heartless? I have no time for this nonsense! I don't care if it wasn't Alice anymore, TAKE THEM ALL DOWN!" the queen yelled to her soldiers. With this, one card cranked the tower, lifting Alice's cage high in the air.  
  
"NO!" Sora yelled, hitting the tower. Corita, Donald and Goofy then ran to help him.  
  
"Take that!" Donald yelled, hitting the tower with a blast of ice.  
  
"Well, there's your new spell Donald!" Corita said. "Let me try!"  
  
Corita tried to muster up the emotion she had when she'd cast cure, but all she could get out of her staff was a few pebbles of ice that melted away quickly.  
  
"Hey, at least I'm trying!" Corita yelled angrily as Donald rolled over laughing.  
  
"Hahahahahahahahaha.....HEY! Let go of me, you stupid card!" Donald yelled as he was dragged off by one of the card soldiers, and thrown into a makeshift cage. Corita was rolling over laughing at this point too. "Corita! Could you give me a hand here?" Sora said as he attacked the tower, sometimes looking back at the cage where Alice was held. "Sure! Hang on...HEY! LET ME-" The rest of her words were muffled as she was grabbed by a card and thrown into the same cage where Donald stood.  
  
"I hope you're happy!" Corita said.  
  
"ME HAPPY!?!" Donald yelled.  
  
"Oh hush, now's not the time. SORA! GOOFY! GET US OUT OF HERE!" Corita yelled at the top of her voice.  
  
Goofy came over and broke the weak cage, and they went to help Sora break the crank tower.  
  
"Finally!" Sora said as the tower finally broke and Alice was lowered to the ground. He ran over to the cage, until he realized that the cage was there, but there was no Alice inside.  
  
"Where'd Alice go?" Goofy wondered as they walked over to the cage.  
  
"She must've gotten kidnapped while we were fighting." Corita said.  
  
"YOU FOOLS!" The queen raged. "FIND OUT WHO'S BEHIND THIS! I DON'T CARE HOW!!"  
  
The cards ran around in opposite directions, trying to find a way to fufill their queen's orders.  
  
"Let's go. I have a feeling that cat had a few answers for us." Corita said, dragging them away.  
  
~~End of whatever chaper this is (I lost count. Chapter 6??) Please wait until next time to find the fate of our 4 friends!! ^_^~~ 


	7. Ever seen a Heartless juggle?

~~HELLO MY FANS!!! Fans: Who are you? Me: Umm...an alien! Fans: ALIEN! *eats* Me: X_X~~  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I own Corita. WAHAHA!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Corita, Sora, Goofy and Donald ran off before the card soldiers could realize they'de gone. When they got into the forest, the cat was sitting on a large boulder near the lake.  
  
"Actually, the Cheshire Cat has all the answers...but doesn't always tell." he said, grinning.  
  
"Do you know where Alice is?" Sora asked.  
  
"She's gone! Knowing where she is, that's a different story."  
  
"Okay, do you know exactly where she is?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
They stood there for a minute.  
  
"Will you tell us?"  
  
The cat gave a huge grin at this. Standing up, he said, "To find the answers hidden in the shadows, turn on the light!" With that, he vanished.  
  
"That cat is getting on my last nerve!" Donald said grumpily.  
  
"Oh, you had a nerve to begin with?" Corita asked sweetly.  
  
They continued into the forest, looking around for any sign of Heartless, but all they saw was silence.  
  
"It's quiet. Too-" Sora began, but Corita covered with mouth before he could finish.  
  
"Let's go in here!" Goofy suggested, pointing to a door nearly covered in brush. They entered, and what they saw was a small house sitting in a clearing, a huge table set with many chairs, and festive decorations strung about.  
  
"Where are we?" Corita asked.  
  
"Looks like they're throwing some sort of a party." Sora said, looking around. "Hmm...there's a note here! It says, 'Welcome to the unbirthday party. Please sit down to recieve your present.' Unbirthday party?"  
  
"It means its not your birthday." Donald said.  
  
"No, really." Corita said.  
  
"Well, I guess we should sit down." Goofy said.  
  
They all scurried around to find the most comfortable seats, and sat down. A box wrapped in wrapping paper and a bow, like a birthday present, appeared on the table. Goofy stood up and opened it.  
  
"Look! Munny!" He said, holding up a large bag jingling with munny inside. "And there's something else...2 ethers and 2 potions!"  
  
"Well, I'm glad it's my unbirthday." Sora said, taking one of the potions.  
  
"Where to now?" Corita said, looking around.  
  
"Let's ask for directions." Donald said, going over to the house. They all followed, and entered the house. When they got inside, they weren't in a house. They were in the room with the table and talking door. The only difference was that it was turned on its side.  
  
"Well, I don't think they're home." Goofy said, looking around the bizzare room.  
  
Looking up at 2 unlit lamps on the wall...or floor...of the bizzare room, they saw the Cheshire Cat perched on one of them, staring at them.  
  
"Why do you always sneak up on us like that?" Sora asked.  
  
"I don't sneak. Only shadows sneak. I observe."  
  
"Why are you observing us?"  
  
"Who else am I to observe? The queen? All she does is chop peoples heads off." he grinned. "Remeber to turn on the lights to find the shadows!" He disappeared.  
  
"C'mon! We've got lights to turn on!" Sora said, and he ran up one of the sides of the room, and came to a counter like thing. There, they got a good view of the lamps.  
  
"Okay Donald, turn them on." Sora said.  
  
"ME!? Why me?"  
  
"You're the only one who can cast a fire spell."  
  
With a triumphant glare at Corita, Donald shot a fire spell at one of the lamps. It became instantly lit.  
  
The Cheshire cat appeared next to them.  
  
"It's still too dim. Make it brighter."  
  
With that, he disappeared.  
  
"Okay Donald, now aim carefully at the other lamp." Sora said.  
  
Donald took aim, and fired. It hit the lamp and it too lit. The Cheshire Cat appeared next to it.  
  
"Splendid. The shadows should be here soon. They'll appear in this room, but somewhere else." He flashed them one more grin, and vanished.  
  
"I gotta learn how to do that..." Goofy said.  
  
"They'll appear in this room, but somewhere else...let's go to the courtyard!" Corita said, leading them away.  
  
They climbed carefully down from the counter, and walked over to the opposite side of the room, where there was a large door. Corita flipped the lock open, and it swung open. Suddenly, she was struck in the shoulder by a blast of ice. "Oh! Donald..." She began, but turned around to find out it was only more Heartless, not Donald. They fought them off easily, and entered the door. They were suprised to find that they were back in the courtyard.  
  
"This place is way too confusing for me!" Sora said.  
  
"This way!" Corita said, leading them back to the bizzare room.  
  
When they entered, the room seemed normal enough, but an eerie silence hung in the air. On the table sat the Cheshire Cat.  
  
"You'll have a better view from higher up!" He called.  
  
"Higher up? Now we have to climb back up there!" Donald moaned.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I'm happy to see you made it back up here." remarked the Cheshire Cat. "The shadows will be here soon. Are you prepared for the worst?"  
  
"Prepared for the worst? What do you mean?" Donald asked.  
  
"If you're not prepared, too bad!" The Cheshire Cat said, pointing towards the ceiling where the lamps Donald had lit were glowing.  
  
"TOO BAD?!?!?!" Donald yelled at the cat, not even making him flinch. He then vanished.  
  
"Good job..." Corita said.  
  
"Guys! LOOK!" Goofy said, pointing at the ceiling.  
  
They had good reasons to look. From the ceiling fell a tall, spindly creature that looked like its arms had been folded out of paper. In its hands it juggled two wooden sticks, the same color as the Cheshire Cat's stripes. And, of course, it had the Heartless symbol on its head.Sora and Corita whipped out their weapons, ready for a battle. Donald and Goofy, however, stood back.  
  
"What's wrong?" Corita asked as Sora lept at it to attack.  
  
"Well...it's just...that thing..." Donald stammered.  
  
"What? Never seen a Heartless juggle before?" Corita said, leaping at it to attack. Goofy followed close behind.  
  
Donald stared at it akwardly.  
  
"I..." He stammered. Then, gathering up his courage, blasted a fire spell right at it.  
  
"AH! NO!" Donald cried as its juggling sticks caught on fire. The Heartless walked over to the table and smashed the chair into the ground, trapping Donald. It then began to take swipes at him with its lit sticks. Donald shot a blizzard spell at it, extinguishing one of its sticks. The other continued to swat at him. Donald finally took a leap of faith off the table, landing right on top of Sora and Goofy.  
  
"Thanks for breaking my fall again Sora!" He said as they continued to attack the monster. Meanwhile, Corita was standing under the table, trying to muster up a blizzard spell.  
  
"C'mon..." she said, gritting her teeth, trying to cast an actual spell...  
  
Finally, out of her staff came a blast of clear blue ice, hitting the Heartless monster square in the face. It fell back and, with a loud crash, landed on the floor of the bizzare room. Out of its chest came a small blue heart, like the one they'd seen when they defeated the Heartless boss of Traverse Town.  
  
"Now THAT'S more like it!" Corita said, putting her staff on her shoulder.  
  
"Splendid. You are all quite some heroes. Or heroines." said the Cheshire Cat, who was perched back on top of the table.  
  
"If you're looking for Alice, she's gone. Off with the shadows into the darkness." He said, and with one lasting grin, he vanished again.  
  
"No..." Sora groaned.  
  
"Don't worry. Maybe we'll find her in another world!" Goofy said, putting his hand on Sora's shoulder.  
  
Corita walked over to Donald.  
  
"I do believe you have something to say to me." she said.  
  
Donald shuffled his feet.  
  
"Alright...it was a good spell...for a beginner." he said. Corita looked happy with that.  
  
Behind them, they heard the doorknob yawning again.  
  
"What a racket!" he groaned. "How's a doorknob to get any sleep?" He gave a huge yawn, and the 4 friends could see a tiny keyhole inside his mouth. Suddenly, the end of the keyblade began to glow, and it seemed to be gathering light inside of itself. The light shot outward and into the keyhole, and they heard a locking sound as Sora regained his balance.  
  
"Whoa...what just happened?" Sora asked.  
  
"I don't know. It sounded like something closed." Corita said.  
  
"Hey, what's this?" Donald said, picking up a small item that had fallen from the doorknob.  
  
"Looks like a gummi piece. This one's not like the others. No sir." Goofy said, observing it.  
  
"Alright, I'll hold onto it." Donald said.  
  
"Well, I guess we should go. It doesn't look like your King, Riku or Kairi are here." Sora said, walking towards the chair, that mysteriously reappeared after the battle. He climbed up to the top.  
  
"No! Stay down there Corita! I have an idea!" Sora said as he took a sip of the other bottle and grew back to normal size. He carefully picked up his friends and placed them on the table.  
  
"There! That was much easier!" Goofy said as they entered the door from whence they came to find the Gummi Ship.  
  
~~Me: *is alive again* Fans: HUNGRY! Me: NO!!! If I die, I can't write the next chapter! Fans: Okay. You can live...for now...*evil glare* Me: See ya next time if I'm not eaten!!~~ 


	8. YOU FORGOT THE DECIMAL POINT!

~~Hello! This is another short humor chapter. Fans: It better be funny humor. Me: I was never that good at comedy...Fans: *evil grin*~~  
  
Disclaimer: I don't know anything about disclaimers, but I don't own Kingdom Hearts or any of the characters in my fanficcy. Except Corita. *Pokes Corita's head* Corita: DON'T POKE ME! AHH!!  
  
"OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GUMMI SHIP! GUMMI SHIP! GUMMI SHIP! I LOVE THE GUMMI SHIP!" Sora sang.  
  
Corita threw a shoe at him. "Be quiet! I think I'm gonna be sick..."  
  
"Oh, Corita, stop being such a stick-in-the-mud!" Goofy called cheerfully.  
  
"Seriously, are you okay?" Donald quacked, looking at her.  
  
"I'm fine! Never felt better!"  
  
"Goody! More Heartless ships!" Sora said as Goofy pressed the 'DON'T PRESS UNLESS HEARTLESS SHIPS ARE ATTEMPTING TO SHOOT YOU OUT OF THE SKY' button, and they were shot down.  
  
"How much farther to Traverse Town?" Donald asked.  
  
"We're almost there!" Goofy said.  
  
"Darn..." Sora said sadly.  
  
"We just need to rest up and restock and then we'll be on our way!"  
  
"YAY!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Donald..."  
  
"Donald..."  
  
"Donald."  
  
"DONALD!"  
  
"Huh? Wha? What is it, Goofy?"  
  
"No, it's me, Sora. We have to get out of here before Goofy and Corita start singing their peppy morning song!"  
  
"Oh! I'm right behind you!"  
  
The 2 friends creeped slowly out of the hotel bedroom where they were staying with Goofy. Goofy was still sound asleep, which suprised them, because it was 4:30 in the morning. They walked out of the hotel quietly, and looked at each other triumphantly.  
  
"We did it!" Sora said. "Now, where can we hide out?"  
  
"We'll go to my nephew's shop! C'mon!"  
  
Slowly and quietly, they snuck out of the Second District and into the First District. They walked over to the item shop Donald had pointed out.  
  
"Oh, yeah! I remember that place! They told me Corita had left there when-" Sora said, but couldn't finish, because Corita walked out of a nearby shop.  
  
"Oof!" Sora said as Donald dragged him into an alley.  
  
"What's she doing here?" Donald asked.  
  
"Probably buying coffee and sugar for her and Goofy." Sora answered. "No wonder they're so energetic in the morning."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"HEY! Where were you guys? Huh? Huh? Huh?" Corita asked.  
  
"Umm...shopping." Sora answered.  
  
"Really????? How come I saw you this morning at about 4:30??? Huh? Huh?" Corita said.  
  
"You spotted us?" Donald asked, but he got a shove from Sora instead of an answer.  
  
"Alright. The truth is...we were trying to escape your peppy morning song."  
  
"Peppy morning song?" Goofy asked. "OH YEAH! OUR PEPPY MORNING SONG!"  
  
As Corita and Goofy began to sing, Sora and Donald threw everything they had at them. Pillows, socks, shoes, anything, but they wouldn't stop. Finally, after threats to tie them to a post and leave them for the Heartless in the Third District, they finally shut up.  
  
"NO MORE COFFEE FOR YOU!" Donald said, dragging them to the item shop.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Welcome!!" The ducklings quacked, scurrying around the shop.  
  
"I'm Huey!"  
  
"I'm Dewey!"  
  
"I'm Louie!"  
  
"Thanks. We know your names." Donald said.  
  
"Aw, you're always so grouchy Donald! Lighten up!" They said. "So...whatcha need?"  
  
"Well, we need potions, ethers and new weapons." Goofy said, reading off a slip of paper he'd written.  
  
"OKAY!" They stacked potion on potion on ether on ether, and then showed them the weapons.  
  
"Here Goofy, try this one!" Huey said, handing him a small blue and green shield.  
  
"Wow! Not bad!" He said, taking a few practice swings.  
  
"Here Donald!" Dewey said, handing him a blue staff with a star on top.  
  
Louie handed Corita a white staff with a clear star on top.  
  
"Hey, not bad!" Corita said, swishing the staff around a bit.  
  
The ducklings looked at Sora. "Do you need-"  
  
"Nope! I'm good!" He said, taking out the Keyblade. They stared at it in awe.  
  
"Wow...what door does that key open?"  
  
They hopped on the counter and started adding up the cost.  
  
"Alright...let's see...you owe us...54,000 munny." They said.  
  
"WHAT?!?!?" Donald shrieked. He hopped over the counter and stared at them.  
  
"YOU FORGOT THE DECIMAL POINT!" he said.  
  
"Oops! Sorry! The cost is 540 munny." Huey said.  
  
They paid and walked out of the store with their new weapons.  
  
"54,000 munny...I thought I taught them math..." Donald grumbled.  
  
"Oh, calm down. WHO'S UP FOR ANOTHER RIDE IN THE GUMMI SHIP!??!?!?" Sora said.  
  
"Ugh..." Corita said.  
  
~~Me: *stares at rabid fans* Fans: *Stare back* Me: See what happens next time in the wonderful world of Twin Hearts! Fans: Shaddup.~~ 


	9. Philoctetes and Instuction Manuals

~~^_^ Yes. Rather an insane chapter. I always wondered how Cloud simply handed Sora Sonic Blade after the battle with Cerberus, so I made a simple solution to the problem. Fans: What? You insane person, you're just too lazy to figure out a way to make it work! Me: Ah, but I did. Happy reading!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own anything except Corita! Corita: *feels special*  
  
"Now where the heck are we?!" Donald asked.  
  
"Good question." Goofy said.  
  
They were standing on a set of stairs that they had followed to enter the latest world they'd found. Corita was leaning on Sora, looking pale.  
  
"I...hate...gummi...ships..." she moaned.  
  
"Well, I guess we should ask where we are." Sora said, pushing Corita away. They walked through the vast empty space there was to another set of stairs on the opposite side. They entered the door there, and came to what seemed like a lobby. Inside, there were various posters on the walls, there was a door across the room, and next to this door was a short satyr hanging up another poster. The gang walked over to him.  
  
"Um..." Sora began.  
  
"Good timing. Give me a hand, will ya? Move that pedestal over there for me?" He said, and still looking at the poster, pointed to a pedestal and pointed to where he wanted it to be moved to. "I gotta spruce this place up for the games." With that, he continued to work on the poster that didn't seem to want to stay up. Sora walked over to the pedestal and tried pushing it, but from the look of it, it weighed about 50 tons. Corita tried, but no luck. Donald and Goofy each gave it a push, but no luck.  
  
"It's way too heavy!" Sora said to the satyr.  
  
"WHAT? Too heavy? Since when have you been such a little..." he said turning around. He took a glance at Sora. "Oh. Wrong guy. What are you doing here?" He said, jumping off the pedestal he'd been standing on. "This here's the world-famous Coliseum. Heroes only! So, run along, pip squeaks!"  
  
Donald folded his arms angrily. "You've got heroes standing right in from of you!"  
  
"Yeah!" Goofy said, putting his hands on Sora's shoulder. "He's a real hero, chosen by the Keyblade!"  
  
"If it weren't for me, he'd be dead!" Corita said, standing next to him.  
  
"Me and Goofy are heroes too! You should see what we do at Disney Castle!"  
  
"HERO?? That runt?" The satyr said, laughing.  
  
"What's so funny? I've fought a bunch of monsters!" Sora said, defending himself.  
  
"Look kid, if you can't even move this-" He said, pushing on the pedestal with all his might. He kept pushing and groaning, but it didn't move. "Okay, so maybe it takes more than brawn. Well, let's see what you can do!" he said. "You can take the barrel-bashing challenge!"  
  
"Barrel-bashing challenge?" Donald asked.  
  
"Yeah. Smash 20 barrels in 30 seconds, maybe I'll consider ya." he said.  
  
"Let's go!" Corita said.  
  
"Not so fast, little miss hasty. Let the pip squeak take the challenge, since he's the hero of the group and all."  
  
"But I'm his identical twin sister! I can do anything he does!" Corita said, pushing him aside.  
  
"Corita, just let me do it. It'll save time anyway." Sora whispered.  
  
"Fine..." Corita groaned.  
  
"By the way, call me Philoctetes." The satyr said.  
  
"Umm...how about Phil for short?" Sora suggested.  
  
"That works too."  
  
Phil led them through the doorway, and they found themselves in a huge arena. The barrels were already set up in the arena.  
  
"Okay, ready, Mr. Hero?" Phil said sarcastically.  
  
"The name's Mr. Sora to you!" Sora said, taking out the Keyblade.  
  
"On your mark, get set, GO!" Phil said. Sora started bashing barrels as Corita, Donald and Goofy cheered him on. He finished with 10 seconds to spare.  
  
"Not bad for a beginner!" Phil said.  
  
"A beginner?" Sora said.  
  
"Yeah, yeah. Alright, let's set up the next challenge.  
  
The next challenge was set up, this time, it seemed much tougher.  
  
"You got 1 minute, kid. 25 barrels. Good luck!" Phil said, starting the watch. Sora easily cleaned out the arena, and Phil took them back inside the lobby.  
  
"You know, you ain't bad, kid." Phil said.  
  
"Ha! Looks like I'm headed for the games!" Sora said happily.  
  
"Afraid not!" Phil said.  
  
"Why not?" Sora said.  
  
"Two words: You guys ain't heroes!" Phil said.  
  
"C'mon!" Sora said as Phil turned his back on them and Goofy counted out the words on his fingers.  
  
"You really want to become a hero?" Phil said.  
  
"Of course!" Corita yelled.  
  
"Start by mastering this spell!" Phil said, handing them an instruction manual.  
  
"An instruction manual on how to do a spell? That's insane!" Donald said. Corita was already flipping through the pages.  
  
"A nice instruction manual is much better than being taught! You gotta do it yourself!" Phil said.  
  
"So...when do the games start?" Goofy said.  
  
"You don't get it yet, do you? YOU CAN'T ENTER THE GAMES! Not without a pass, anyway. So, bye bye, see ya, have fun somewhere else!" Phil said, pushing them out the door.  
  
"Well, not much left here. We might as well keep going..." Corita said. The 4 friends walked towards the exit.  
  
"Quite a stubborn old goat, wouldn't you say?"  
  
Turning around, they saw a mysterious person with long black robes and blue flaming hair.  
  
"Who are you?" Donald asked.  
  
"Whoa, whoa, hold on there fuzz boy! Let me guess: you want to enter the games, right?" He put his arm around Sora. "Well, get a load of this!" An entry pass appeared in his hand in a flash of blue flame.  
  
"A pass?" Sora said, taking it.  
  
"It's all yours kid. Good luck. " The mysterious figure walked away.  
  
Corita looked at the pass. "It looks real to me!"  
  
"Are you sure we should trust him?" Goofy said.  
  
"Sure we should! He seems much nicer than that Phil guy! Well, lets go show him the pass!" Donald said, marching back into the lobby.  
  
"I thought I told you that you couldn't enter...hey! Where'd you get this?" Phil said, looking at the pass that Sora had just handed him.  
  
"Does it matter?" Sora said. "Now we can enter the games!"  
  
"Well.....alright. But watch yourselves!" Phil said, marching them out to the arena.  
  
It was a bright, clear day. There wasn't a cloud in the sky. "Perfect weather for fighting!" Phil said. "Now, you guys are going to be fighting right up to the end. You get short breaks, 3 minutes, in between each fight. During this time, you may restock on potions. If you die, you're disqualified."  
  
"Um...If we die?" Corita said nervously.  
  
"Don't worry. Only 13 people have ever died in the history of the Coliseum!" Phil said to encourage them. "Now, more about the rules. All magic is allowed, but be careful when casting, we've had the arena set on fire 2 or 3 times. That was one of the times 2 of the people died. Anyway, remember to fight to the best of your ability, and I'll be cheering you on."  
  
"What do we get if we win?" Goofy asked.  
  
"An all-expense paid trip to nowhere, I don't know!" Phil said. "Now, get out there and fight! Fight! FIGHT!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Whew! I didn't know we'd be fighting Heartless here, too!" Corita said.  
  
"Yeah. I thought they might have some real competition." Sora said. They were standing around Phil, listening to another one of his pep talks.  
  
"Now, listen! I think I've got a great new strategy to use!" Phil said.  
  
As he spoke, the 4 friends turned their heads and saw a mysterious figure walking towards them. He had spiky blond hair and piercing blue eyes. Behind him trailed a long red cape. He turned his head and looked at them, and then continued on.  
  
"Looks like he'll be some competition, eh, Sora?" Phil said. "Hercules would be proud!"  
  
"Hercules?"  
  
"Hercules. My best student. I wish you could meet him, but he's off visiting his father."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Okay! Your next battle is against Cloud!" Phil said.  
  
"We have to fight a cloud?" Goofy said.  
  
"NO! You're fighting against CLOUD the person!"  
  
"Who's Cloud?" Corita asked.  
  
"He's the creepy guy you saw earlier."  
  
"He wasn't really creepy...just...okay, he was kinda creepy."  
  
Phil was giving them one more pep talk before there last challenge. The fighters were pretty worn out by now, and they were taking the time to rest.  
  
"Cloud looks like he's pretty tough. Hang in there guys. I know you can do it!"  
  
The bell sounded that signaled that the next battle was about to start.  
  
"Good luck you guys!" Phil cheered as the team ran out into the arena.  
  
Sora and Corita stared at Cloud, the mysterious man they had seen earlier.  
  
"You know what's creepy?" Corita whispered to Sora. "He seems kinda familiar...like I've seen him before..."  
  
"Me too...but that's impossible! We've never been off our island..." Sora whispered back.  
  
The bell rung that signaled the beginning of the match.  
  
"Okay! Corita, you go over in the corner to heal when needed! Donald, you come near him but just cast magic! Goofy, you're going in with me!" Sora said, running forward.  
  
"He says it like I know what I'm doing..." Corita said.  
  
Still, the strategy worked. For about 5 seconds. Cloud gave a huge burst of energy and plowed into Sora and Goofy, knocking them backwards.  
  
"SORA!" Corita cried, feeling the familiar feeling in her body as the cure spell worked its way out of her staff. She cast the same spell on Goofy.  
  
"Take this!" Donald said, shooting a fire spell at him. Cloud held his sword up and easily blocked it, shooting it back at Donald, who jumped out of the way just in time. This gave Sora enough time to give him a few slashes with the Keyblade. Corita started to run forward.  
  
"You think you can beat me?" Cloud said, knocking Sora backwards with his sword. Sora was thrown against the wall with Goofy, who had also taken another hit.  
  
"NO!" Corita cried, trying to cast another cure spell. But nothing came.  
  
"No! I can't run out of MP! Not now!" She cried. Meanwhile, Cloud had taken care of Donald, adding him to his collection of Corita's friends thrown against the wall. He was now advancing on her.  
  
"Where are my ethers?!?" Corita said, searching her pockets. "I used them all?!?" Suddenly, she felt a powerful blow to her back. Cloud had knocked her over with a charge attack.  
  
"Well, nothing left now but...RANDOM ATTACKING!" Corita said, charging at him with her staff. She got in a few good blows before she was knocked against the wall by a powerful smack from the blunt side of Cloud's sword. Cloud then walked towards then with his sword over his shoulder.  
  
"What now...?" Corita asked Sora.  
  
"Well, I'm guessing we lost..." Sora said. Cloud then make his way towards them, ready to deal the killing blow to them.  
  
"Is he allowed to do this?" Corita asked.  
  
"I guess so." Sora said meekly.  
  
"You and your games...." Corita whispered.  
  
Before Cloud could finish them off, Phil ran out into the arena waving a white flag, surrendering. Cloud took a few steps back away from them.  
  
Suddenly, a giant black paw appeared above him, landing on top of him with a sickening crunch. It seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. Sora, Corita, Donald and Goofy lept up instantly, looking at who the paw belonged to. It was a giant three headed dog, all black with small, evil eyes. Its heads gave a huge roar as it plunged towards them, but it was stopped.  
  
"Herc!" Phil called towards the man who was stopping the monster for the time being.  
  
"Phil, get them out of here!" Hercules called, struggling against the massive beast. All of them took his advice and ran towards the lobby except Sora.  
  
"Sora! What are you doing?!" Corita asked, pulling at his arm.  
  
"We've got to help him!" Sora cried.  
  
"Not right now!" Corita said, dragging him towards safety.  
  
They all made it to the lobby, where Phil explained things in more detail.  
  
"Whew! That was close!" he said.  
  
"What was that?" Donald asked.  
  
"That was Cerberus, the guardian of the underworld."  
  
"Naturally he's here." Corita said, leaning against the wall.  
  
"Hercules defeated him before, but Hades must have revived him..."  
  
"Hades is...?" Goofy asked.  
  
"The lord of the underworld."  
  
"Wait a second. Is this Hades tall, dressed in black and has blue fire for hair?" Corita asked.  
  
"Yeah. Why?"  
  
"No reason..."  
  
The 5 of them stood in the lobby, waiting for Hercules to come out of the arena with Cloud. After 10 minutes, Phil started to worry.  
  
"He's never taken this long before..." He said.  
  
Corita walked over to Sora.  
  
"Sora, I think we should go out there and help him!"  
  
"Help him? You heard what Phil said, he's fine!"  
  
"I've got this bad feeling...you know I'm always right anyway!"  
  
"Grr...fine. Donald! Goofy!" Sora called.  
  
"What?" They asked.  
  
"We're going in!" Sora announced.  
  
"WHAT?!? Kid, you can't go in there! You'll be killed!" Phil said.  
  
"Well, if we die, we'll die trying!" Sora said.  
  
"Oh, aren't we brave!" Donald said, handing ethers to Corita. "Don't run out this time!" Donald whispered to her.  
  
"You're crazy, kid. This isn't some pretend battle or a game. This is the real deal!" Phil said.  
  
"Listen Philoctetes!" Corita said, making Phil flinch. "We know what we're doing! If your 'best student' is in danger, we're going to help him! Now, LET'S GO!"  
  
Her 3 friends stared at her in awe.  
  
"Wow Corita! I never knew you were so...forceful!" Goofy said.  
  
"You need to be if you live with Sora." She said glumly.  
  
They ran out into the arena, ignoring Phil's cries.  
  
In the arena, Hercules was still defending himself with Cloud slung over his shoulder, unconscious. Cerberus had him backed into a corner. Suddenly, its ears perked up as it heard 8 feet running out onto the battlefield. It turned away from Hercules and faced its new challenge. Hercules took the opportunity and ran into the lobby with Cloud.  
  
"Kid, I got 2 words for you. ATTACK!" Phil screeched, running back into the lobby.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Take THAT, You overgrown dog!" Donald said, casting fire at its middle head.  
  
"Donald, Donald, Donald. Hit all of its heads at once, like so!" Corita said, flipping through the pages of the instruction manual Phil had given them. "THUNDER!"  
  
Small bolts of lightning shot from the sky, hitting Cerberus's three heads all at once.  
  
"Now THAT'S how you do it!" Corita said.  
  
"Donald! Corita! Heads up!" Goofy called as Cerberus's heads came towards them.  
  
"Scatter!" Donald said, and they ran apart just in time.  
  
"Is he done yet?" Corita asked.  
  
"Just keep going!" Sora called.  
  
"I'm out of ethers again!" Corita said.  
  
"Use this one!" Donald said, handing her one.  
  
"Wow, thanks Donald!" Corita said.  
  
"Yeah, well, you did heal me..." Donald mumbled. "Let's teach him a lesson!"  
  
The battle raged on, and finally, Cerberus had taken enough. Sora delt the final blow, and the guardian of the underworld collapsed on the arena floor.  
  
"Ha! Phil thought we couldn't do it!" Goofy said cheerfully as they entered the lobby again. They were knocked backwards by a flying satyr.  
  
"Oh! You're alive! That was awesome!" Phil said happily.  
  
"Phil...not to be rude but...STOP THE HUGS! I CAN'T BREATHE!" Corita said.  
  
"Oh, right, sorry. C'mon! Meet Hercules!" Phil said, pushing them forward.  
  
"Phil, we can walk by ourselves you know." Sora said.  
  
"Oh, yes, sorry."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"And so, I hereby dub thee junior heroes. Further-"  
  
"HEY! Whadda mean 'junior heroes?'" Donald asked.  
  
"You rookies still don't know what it means to be a true hero!" Phil said. They were standing in the lobby, and after a small argument, Phil and Hercules had decided to give them privileges to participate in the games.  
  
"So, what does it take?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Well, that's just something you'll have to find out by yourselves. Just the way I did." Hercules said.  
  
"No problem! We'll start by proving ourselves in the games!" Sora said.  
  
"Well, you'll have to wait a while. Gotta clean up from the last mess first." Phil said, pointing to the 'NO ENTRANCE' sign strung up, blocking the way to the arena.  
  
"No problem. We'll be back!" Corita said, and they exited the lobby.  
  
"Hey guys, isn't that Cloud?" Goofy said, pointing to the opposite side of the arena.  
  
It was true. Cloud was there, looking slightly beaten. He was resting his head in his hands.  
  
"We should go talk to him!" Sora said.  
  
The friends walked forward, and Cloud lifted his head up.  
  
"Hey!" Sora said.  
  
"Hey." Cloud said.  
  
"You okay?" Sora asked.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
There was an akward silence for a few moments.  
  
"So, why'd you go along with him anyway?" Corita asked.  
  
Cloud closed his eyes. "I'm looking for someone. Hades promised to help." He stood up. "I tried to exploit the power of darkness, but it backfired. I was lost in the darkness, and I couldn't find the light." He finished.  
  
"You'll find it." Sora said. "I'm searching, too."  
  
"For your light?"  
  
Sora nodded his head.  
  
Cloud walked forward, placing something in Sora's hand.  
  
"Don't lose sight of it."  
  
"How about a rematch sometime? Fair and square, no dark powers involved!"  
  
Cloud turned his head. "I think I'll pass." He joked.  
  
Sora smiled, and looked at what Cloud had given him.  
  
"Another instruction manual?" He flipped through the pages. "Hey, this looks pretty cool!"  
  
"C'mon Sora, read it on the gummi ship. Keep quiet on the ride." Donald said, pulling him forward to the place where their gummi ship was parked, waiting for their next adventure.  
  
~~Me: ^_^ Instruction manuals! Hey, it works! Fans: THERE ARE NO INSTRUCTION MANUALS IN KINGDOM HEARTS! Me: This isn't actually Kingdom Hearts! This is my fanfic! I RUN THE SHOW! WAHAHA! Fans: X_x why are we even your fans...?~~ 


	10. Gorillas!

~~Sorry that this is a little late...and a little short...Fans: *evil grin*~~  
  
Disclaimer: I still only own Corita!  
  
"'Beginners Abilities' by Ansem. Who's Ansem?" Sora asked as they were flying in the gummi ship.  
  
"Oh, Ansem's a genius!" Donald said. Donald was flying this time, and Goofy was in the back, helping Corita overcome her motion sickness.  
  
"Yeah! He wrote a great report on the Heartless, too!" Goofy said.  
  
"Where is this report?" Sora asked.  
  
"It got scattered throughout the worlds." Donald said.  
  
"Sonic Blade...sounds like a cool ability! Hey Corita, there's instructions in here about how to cast spells easier! You want to read it? Corita?" Sora turned around, looking at his sister.  
  
"Um, Corita's not feeling too well right now." Goofy said.  
  
She was breathing in and out from a paper bag. "Really helps that motion sickness, eh Corita?" Goofy said cheerfully.  
  
"Hey, look!" Sora said, pointing to the next world that they were coming across.  
  
"Wow, It's beautiful!" Corita managed to say.  
  
"It sure is!" Goofy said as they stared down at a deep, vast jungle. "Donald, maybe King Mickey's down there!"  
  
"In a backwater place like that?" Donald quacked. "No way! Let's move on." He was about to put his foot on the acceleration, but Sora stopped him.  
  
"Wait a minute. Kairi and Riku may be down there." He said, struggling with Donald.  
  
"Forget it! We're on an important mission!" Donald yelled.  
  
"Just land!" Sora and Corita yelled together. Now Corita and Sora were struggling with the duck, trying to find the land button.  
  
"Don't touch that button!" Donald yelled as Sora accidentally shoved his elbow into a small green button. "No!" Goofy said, joining the quarrel.  
  
Suddenly, the gummi ship started to spiral downwards.  
  
"AH!" They all screamed as they plummeted towards the jungle.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ow...my head..." Sora said, rubbing the back of his head. He'd just taken quite a fall. He had been knocked out of the gummi ship and had fallen down to the jungle. Luckily, the roof of a tree house was there to break his fall.  
  
"Corita? Goofy? Donald?" Sora asked, looking around, but there was no one to be seen.  
  
Out of the corner of his eye, Sora saw something move, but it wasn't his sister or friends.  
  
Summoning the Keyblade into his hands, Sora defended himself as a huge leopard lept down from the sides of the huge tree house. It only took one swipe of its paw to knock Sora backwards. Standing up quickly, Sora stared into the eyes of his foe.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Gawrsh, where are we?" Goofy said. "I sure hope Sora and Corita are okay..."  
  
"Aw, who needs 'em?" Donald asked, sitting upright.  
  
Goofy and Donald had landed together in a small clearing with a large rock covered in thick moss in the middle. They were now sitting on this rock, wondering what to do.  
  
"We can find the king without him!" Donald said, reaching for his staff. "Huh?"  
  
Instead of his staff, a large clump of fur had met his hand. Looking down, he saw a young gorilla sitting there.  
  
"AH!" They both shrieked. Donald fell backwards as the young gorilla ran off into the brush. Suddenly, they heard footsteps. An extremely grumpy looking man walked out of the bushes, carrying a gun.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ow....ow...where am I?" Corita wondered, standing up. She'd fallen on top of a large pile of debris into what seemed to be a campsite. Looking around, she saw no sight of Sora, Donald or Goofy. She did see a large tent in the middle.  
  
"Great. I'll have to kill Donald later. I hope Sora's not in trouble..." Corita said, walking towards the tent.  
  
"Hello there!" Said a young woman cheerfully as Corita entered the tent. "Who might you be?"  
  
"Hi there...I'm Corita." Corita said.  
  
"Oh! You speak English!"  
  
"Why wouldn't I?"  
  
"Well, I'm here studying the gorillas, and have only Mr. Clayton and Tarzan to talk to."  
  
"Who are Clayton and Tarzan?" Corita asked.  
  
"Oh, Mr. Clayton is my guide in this jungle, and Tarzan is a young man we found out here who was raised by gorillas."  
  
"Really?" Corita said, fascinated.  
  
"Yes, but sometimes it does get awfully lonely out here. What are you doing here anyway?"  
  
"Right now I'm looking for my brother and my friends. Have you seen them?"  
  
"No, I'm sorry. What do they look like? I'll keep an eye out for them."  
  
"Well, my brother looks just like me, and my friends..." Corita paused for a moment.  
  
"Well, one of them is a girl about my age and height, and the other is a boy with silver hair. You can't miss them."  
  
"Alright, I'll be sure to keep-"  
  
"Jane!" A voice grunted. Turning around, Corita saw a young man walking like a gorilla, who she assumed was Tarzan. Behind him was..."  
  
"SORA!" Corita cried, hugging her brother.  
  
"Man Corita, you hug as hard as Phil!" Sora said, peeling her off.  
  
"I'm just glad to see you!" Corita said.  
  
"Well, well. This is certainly special." Said a gruff voice behind them. Entering the tent now was a tall, grumpy man carrying a rifle, and behind him..."  
  
"SORA! CORITA!" Goofy said.  
  
"DONALD! GOOFY!" Sora and Corita said together, running over to them, although there wasn't much space left in the tent. When they met the eyes of Donald, however, the twins turned their backs on the duck, and Donald did the same to them.  
  
"Well, aren't we happy to see each other!" Goofy said.  
  
"A circus of clowns. Not much use for hunting gorillas." The man said, leaving the tent.  
  
"Mr. Clayton! We're studying them, not hunting them! This is research!" Jane called after him. "Well, the more the merrier. Do make yourselves at home." She said.  
  
A strange silence hung in the air.  
  
"Well, anyway..." Sora said.  
  
"We're staying!" All 4 of them said together.  
  
"Huh?" Corita and Sora said, turning towards the other two.  
  
"Look what we found!" Goofy said, holding out a small colorful block.  
  
"What is it?" Corita asked.  
  
"It's a gummi block, the same stuff our ship's made out of." Donald said.  
  
"So that means..." Sora said.  
  
"The king could be here." Goofy finished. "So, we've gotta work together and look for him."  
  
"Alright, we'll work together." Donald said. "For now." He added grumpily.  
  
"Alright, I'll let you tag along. For now." Sora said.  
  
"Well, welcome. My name is Jane." said the young researcher.  
  
"Jane, how can you tell what Tarzan is saying when he speaks 'gorilla'?" Sora asked.  
  
"Well, usually we show him different slides, and when a slide matches a word he knows, he tells us." Jane said, pointing to a slide projector.  
  
"Alright, can you show him some of those slides? He said a word before that I couldn't understand..."  
  
"Of course." Jane walked over to the other side of the tent to find the slides. "Now, where did I put those...ah! I can't find them!" Jane said. "Can I get you guys to find the slides for me?"  
  
"No problem!" Sora said, dragging his friends outside.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"How come Tarzan and Jane stay in the tent, while we're out here?" Donald asked.  
  
"It's called doing someone a favor, Donald." Sora said.  
  
"I found one!" Goofy called, holding up a small square disk that gleamed in the sunlight.  
  
"Here's another!" Corita called from across the campsite.  
  
"Alright, that's 5. One more..."  
  
"Got it!" Donald said, holding up the final slide.  
  
"Good." Sora said, jumping off a stack of boxes. "Now we can figure out what Tarzan was saying!"  
  
"Why do you even care what he was saying?" Donald asked.  
  
Ignoring him, Sora whispered to Corita, "He said that Riku and Kairi were here!"  
  
"He did?" Corita asked.  
  
"Well, sort of..." Sora said.  
  
Sora explained what had happened to Corita.  
  
"A monkey language?" Corita asked.  
  
"Yeah, I think it tells where Riku and Kairi are!"  
  
"Well, we need to figure it out!"  
  
They entered the tent and handed the slides to Jane.  
  
"All right! I'll just slip these into the projector..." Jane said, placing the first slide inside it.  
  
The machine whirred as it showed the first slide against the side of the tent.  
  
It showed a large castle, and as Corita and Sora stared as it, they felt as if they'd seen it before.  
  
"What's wrong?" Goofy asked them.  
  
"Huh? Oh, nothing!" Sora said.  
  
The next few slides showed various pictures such as a large boat and a gorilla, but nothing seemed familiar to Tarzan.  
  
"Well, Tarzan?" Jane asked him.  
  
"Where are our friends, Riku and Kairi?" Sora asked him.  
  
Tarzan stood there for a moment, thinking. He then shook his head to show none of the words matched.  
  
"Hey, I thought-" Sora began.  
  
"That leaves just one place." A voice said.  
  
Behind them, Clayton was entering the tent.  
  
"I'm sorry, but we've been in this jungle for some time now, and have yet to encounter these friends of yours." Clayton said to Sora and Corita. "I'll wager they're with the gorillas, but Tarzan refuses to take us to them!"  
  
"Really Mr. Clayton! Tarzan wouldn't hide-" Jane started to say.  
  
"Then take us there!" Clayton interrupted. "Take us to the gorillas! Go- rill-as!"  
  
Everyone in the tent surrounded Tarzan as he nodded his head to show his approval.  
  
"Tarzan...are you sure?" Jane said.  
  
"Tarzan go see Kerchak." Tarzan grunted.  
  
"Kerchak?" Jane asked.  
  
"He must be the leader. Perfect. I'll go along as an escort. After all, the jungle is a dangerous place." Clayton said with an evil smile.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Why is he following us?" Goofy whispered.  
  
"I don't know. Try to ignore him." Sora whispered back.  
  
Sora, Corita, Donald and Goofy were being led to the gorilla's nesting grounds by Tarzan as Clayton followed behind.  
  
"Alright. I have an idea. We're gonna shake him off." Corita said, explaining the plan to her friends.  
  
"How come I have to be the bait?" Donald groaned.  
  
"Shh!" Sora said as he pushed Donald into the brush.  
  
"One...two...three!" Corita said.  
  
"Clayton! CLAYTON!" Sora called, pointing into the bushes. "Look! A gorilla!"  
  
"A gorilla?!? Where!??!" Clayton said, holding up his gun and shooting into the bushes.  
  
"RUN!" Corita cried as she and Sora and Goofy followed Tarzan away into the trees.  
  
"AH! Where's the gorilla?!?" Clayton said, running around frantically as he fell into the lagoon.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Good plan!" Tarzan said to Corita.  
  
"Thanks!" She said as she and her friends hid up in the trees. Tarzan walked off for a little while as they sat there, as still as stone. Donald eventually scurried up the tree as well.  
  
"Never...again..." He groaned as he fell into Corita's arms.  
  
"Oh, stop it and stand up!" Corita said, pushing him off.  
  
"Hey, where's Tarzan?" Goofy asked.  
  
They lept up and turned around as they saw Tarzan standing there, speaking in 'gorilla'. He finished, looking defeated.  
  
"Was he looking towards the tree house?" Goofy said.  
  
"Maybe. We should go there." Sora said.  
  
They all started to climb down out of the tree. Clayton was nowhere to be seen.  
  
"Where did he go?" Corita wondered.  
  
"Who cares?" Sora asked as they followed the path up to the tree house.  
  
~~Me: I never liked that Clayton... Fans: Have you ever even watched Tarzan? Me: Nope!~~ 


	11. An overgrown illusion

~~Me: Hello! It's me again! A nice long chapter to bring you joy! Fans: More like put us in the hospital. Me: BE QUIET!!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, I never will own anythin except Corita. WAHAHAHA! I'm too broke to own anything else...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey, Sora." Corita said.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Why haven't we seen any Heartless around here?"  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
Walking up the wooden path to the tree house, the twins were talking, as were Donald and Goofy. Tarzan was walking ahead of all of them.  
  
"Wait a second." Donald said. "What's that noise?"  
  
It was true. A strange noise was coming from inside the tree house.  
  
"Donald, run up ahead and see what's going on!" Corita said.  
  
"Aye aye captain!" Donald said. Donald ran up ahead farther, followed closely by Tarzan. As Donald turned the corner of the wooden path, he let out a loud cry.  
  
"What's the big idea?!" He said as the others caught up. Kneeling there beside Donald was Clayton with his gun. Tarzan ran into the tree house.  
  
"Wait Kerchak! Please!" He said. On the opposite side of the tree house was a large gorilla, and standing next to him was a younger and smaller gorilla. Kerchak turned his back and walked away, followed closely by the other gorilla.  
  
"You don't understand! I was only trying to..." Clayton stuttered. "Ah! A snake slithered by! You see, I saved that poor gorilla's life!" He said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"How could you do such a thing?!?!" Jane roared at Clayton.  
  
"Now, Miss Porter, as I've told you, I wasn't aiming at the gorilla. I-"  
  
"You are not to go near the gorillas again!" she said.  
  
Sora, Goofy and Donald had to drag Clayton back to the tent as Tarzan led them and Corita gave them 'moral support'. (Come on! You can do better than that! Keep dragging!) Now, Jane was yelling at Clayton, obviously.  
  
"All because of one misshap? Come now!" Clayton said, but as he looked around the tent, a 'monkey man', a pair of angry twins, a duck and a dog, all of whom had much experience in battle, and a researcher ready to defend her field of study.  
  
Chuckling softly, Clayton backed out of the tent.  
  
Jane sighed. "If you can't drill it into their heads, might as well intimidate them!"  
  
Suddenly, outside, a gun shot rung in the air. Leaping up, the 5 fighters ran outside to see what had happened.  
  
"Heartless!" Sora cried. Surrounding a gorilla were a new type of Heartless. These looked like small monkeys, and like the others, had the Heartless Symbol on its chest. They turned away from the gorilla to take on the Keyblade master instead.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The Heartless defeated, the gorilla that they had saved then walked over to Sora.  
  
"Um...hi?" Sora said.  
  
The gorilla held out his hand. There, sitting on the creature's palm, was a gummi block. Sora gently took the block.  
  
"Thank you!" Sora said. The gorilla nodded its head and walked off.  
  
"Well, now we're getting presents from gorillas." Corita said. "This is crazy."  
  
"Well, we should go make sure the other gorillas are safe." Goofy said as Tarzan ran towards the bamboo thicket.  
  
"Follow Tarzan!" Donald cried.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Whew! Well, that was interesting." Sora said.  
  
The team had just saved 5 gorillas, and they were returning to the tent.  
  
"I wonder...why were there no Heartless here before?" Corita asked.  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
Out of the blue, another gunshot rang through the air.  
  
"It came from the bamboo thicket!" Sora called as they ran towards the source of the sound.  
  
When they got there, everything was still.  
  
"It's quiet. Too...hey!" Sora said as Corita covered his mouth.  
  
"If you say that one more time I'll...HEY! LOOK OUT!" Corita cried as a giant leopard lept out of the bushes.  
  
"Not again..." Sora said, holding out the Keyblade, showing that the others should take out their weapons. In the beginning, all they did was stare each other down. Then, the leopard attacked.  
  
"Look out!" Goofy said, running in front of Sora and Corita with his shield. Donald blasted him with fire spells and Tarzan attacked with his spear.  
  
"Take this!" Corita said, showering the ground with thunderbolts.  
  
"I'm getting pretty good at this!" She said happily. Suddenly, she was thrown backwards by a powerful claw. Slamming into the rock wall, Corita did something she'd never done before. She cast cure on herself. Instead of the magic leaving her staff it hovered over it, and then re-entered the staff, and Corita felt the warmth surround her as her wounds healed, and she felt much better.  
  
"YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!" Corita yelled, leaping up and running forward.  
  
Finally, the creature tottered over, defeated.  
  
"Ow...never get hit with a giant paw." Corita said.  
  
"I feel your pain." Sora said. walking over, Keyblade on his shoulder. "We should go check on the tent."  
  
Nodding with agreement, the team left the bamboo thicket and walked back to the campsite.  
  
"Hey, where's Jane?" Sora asked as they entered the tent.  
  
It was true. The tent was empty, exept for the various machines, and the 5 people entering.  
  
"Danger..near. Jane near...near tree house." Tarzan said.  
  
"Sounds like trouble. Let's go." Sora said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What IS that?" Corita asked.  
  
"Good question." Sora answered.  
  
After traveling the path to the tree house, they were stopped when they discovered Jane and a young gorilla trapped in a group of trees. On the trunk of the tree in the middle was a large black fruit, and the place was swarming with Heartless.  
  
"That big black fruit looks suspicious..." Sora said.  
  
"SO HIT IT!" Corita cried.  
  
"Good plan!" Goofy cried as he, Tarzan and Sora took on the giant fruit. Donald and Corita fought off the surrounding Heartless.  
  
The fruit was easily destroyed, and the Heartless that hadn't been defeated vanished. The vines surrounding Jane and the gorilla vanished instantly. The team ran over to them.  
  
"What happened?" Donald asked.  
  
"Clayton came to the tent, and...that's the last thing I remember..." Jane moaned.  
  
"Clayton?" they all cried.  
  
"Let's go find him!" Sora said.  
  
"Please be careful." Jane said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Running to the cliffs, they spotted Clayton there, preparing to shoot the gorillas. Surrounding him were several of the mokey Heartless that had invaded the jungle recently.  
  
"No!" Sora cried, screeching to a halt. Clayton turned his head, and he saw the group of 5 standing there.  
  
"Clayton?" Sora asked as the gorillas scurried off.  
  
"Not Clayton!" Tarzan said. He then made the same grunting noise that Sora had demonstrated for Corita. "Not Clayton!"  
  
With that, the battle began.  
  
The Heartless turned towards Sora and Corita, while Goofy, Donald and Tarzan went after Clayton.  
  
"You know, I'm getting sick of these Heartless freaks following us around!" Corita said, swatting at them with her staff.  
  
"I know, but we don't really have a choice, do we?" Sora said, slicing through them with the Keyblade.  
  
A shot rung in the air as a bullet landed at their feet.  
  
"Whoa!" They cried, jumping out of the way. When they had defeated the Heartless, they joined in with the battle against Clayton. Eventually, he took enough hits and backed away. The hunter then backed up against the cliff wall, while the others stood about 10 feet away, waiting for his next move. Instead of attacking, the cliff wall that he had been resting against exploded, sending bits of dirt and rock everywhere. Behind Clayton now was a small cliff, and beyond that, a vast lake and a huge waterfall.  
  
Tarzan ran at Clayton instantly, but he was thrown backwards by an unseen force.  
  
"Great..." Donald said as Clayton mounted the invisible creature and began to walk towards them.  
  
"Watch out!" Goofy called as the creature took a swipe at them and they all lept in different directions.  
  
"This isn't going to be so easy..." Sora said from behind the rock he and Corita were hiding behind.  
  
"Oh, come on! You're the Keyblade Master! You're going to let an overgrown illusen defeat you?" Corita asked.  
  
"Well, of course not!" Sora said.  
  
"Alright, I'll hit with magic, and you try to get Clayton off it!" Corita said as gunshots rang through the air.  
  
Nodding his head, Sora ran out onto the battlefield. Goofy and Sora then began attacking the invisible monster.  
  
Corita started blasting the enemy with thunder spells, the only spell she could cast well besides cure. Donald, on the other hand, continued to hide behind a large bush.  
  
Corita ran over to him. "You know..." Corita began. "I'm not the only magician on this battlefield..."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, I know!" Donald said, leaping out from the bushes at the worst possible time.  
  
The giant creature swatted at Corita and Donald, who both got swiped back into the cliff wall.  
  
"Ugh..."  
  
"Ugh..."  
  
"Corita....hurry up with the healing!"  
  
"I only have enough MP left to cast it once..."  
  
"SO CAST IT ON ONE OF US!"  
  
Corita lifted her staff in the air, and as the magic left her, she could almost feel the anger boiling next to her.  
  
"WHY'D YOU CAST IT ON ME?" Donald asked.  
  
"Because, you can still fight. I'm out of MP. Go and win!" Corita said.  
  
Donald ran out and joined the fight, as Corita watched in painful silence. Sora spotted her and ran over.  
  
"Here, use this potion." Sora said, tossing it to her. Cortia quickly drank it, and she felt the energy returning to her. By now, Clayton had been thrown off his steed, who had made itself visible. It was shaped like a large chameleon, and, of course, had the Heartless symbol on its chest.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After one last slice from the Keyblade and one last fire spell, the hunter was finally defeated. He prepared his gun for one last shot, but behind him came the now visible Heartless monster, who fell on top of him with a sickening crunch. The bluish heart the monster had stolen then drifted off into the clear sky.  
  
Behind them, the gorillas, led by Kerchak, walked onto the battlefield. Kerchak walked up to Sora.  
  
"Huh? Oh...whoa!" Sora cried as Kerchak lifted him up and tossed him onto the small cliff. Corita, Donald and Goofy met the same fate. Tarzan simply climbed up the wall and the gorillas marched off.  
  
"Tarzan home." Tarzan said as he pointed towards the beautiful lake.  
  
"Hey, what's this?" Goofy said, pointing towards a small cave entrance in the side of the cliff.  
  
"I don't know...let's go!" Corita said, leading them inside.  
  
After climbing the walls and vines, the group was led to a small cave. Walking inside, the walls seemed to glow, and in the center was a small wall surrounded by blue glowing butterflies.  
  
"This is your home? But that means-" Sora began, but was cut off by Tarzan.  
  
"The waterfalls..." a voice said behind them as Jane and the young gorilla stepped into view. "They're echoing all the way here!"  
  
Tarzan made the same noise that was the key to the puzzle, and then said "Friends there. See friends."  
  
"Oh! Now I've got it!" Jane said. She tried to make the same noise, but it didn't work too well. "It means heart! Friends in our hearts..."  
  
"Heart..." Tarzan said.  
  
"Oh, so that's what it meant." Sora said, sounding defeated.  
  
"Friends, same heart. Clayton, lose heart. No heart, no see friends. No heart, no friends." Tarzan said.  
  
Sora turned to Donald.  
  
"Sorry about...what I said." Sora said.  
  
"I'm sorry too!" Donald said.  
  
"Yeah, all for one and one for all, right?" Goofy said, holding his friends.  
  
The butterflies then fluttered away from the wall, and left behind was a glowing keyhole.  
  
"Excuse me for a moment." Sora said, breaking away. He walked up to the keyhole, and with a swish of the Keyblade, the keyhole was sealed, and Deep Jungle was safe from the Heartless forever.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Please come back and visit us sometime." Jane said.  
  
"No problem." They answered.  
  
Back in the tent, the group was getting ready to head back to Traverse Town.  
  
"Sora, Tarzan, friends." Tarzan said as he handed a gift to Sora.  
  
"Thanks!" Sora said as he held it up. It was what appeared to be a small keychain with a butterfly on the end.  
  
"So, where is your ship?" Jane asked.  
  
"Well, um...not far." Goofy answered.  
  
"Okay. We'll be looking forward to your visit!" Jane said as the 4 friends left the tent.  
  
"So...where is the gummi ship?" Goofy asked.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~Me: Aw, the poor, pathetic lost souls!  
  
Fans: You mean us?  
  
Me: NO! Sora, Corita, Donald and Goofy! WAHAHAHA! I love having the power! *ahem*  
  
Fans: I just realized! You left out Jiminy Cricket!  
  
Me: JIMINY CRICKET! I could never forget him! Okay, so maybe I did, but I'm just waiting for a better time to bring him into the story!  
  
Fans: You forgot.~~ 


	12. Why is this rock moving?

~~Me: ZZzz...yes, I know I haven't updated in about 3 weeks. Yes, I know that this chapter isn't the longest chapter ever. My mom got really sick and could've died, so I helped her until she recovered, and then my computer decided to have a mental breakdown. Yes, I know. It's a sad story.  
  
Fans: *sniff* *sniff* You still should've updated sooner!!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own Kingdom Hearts! *sings the "I don't own Kingdom Hearts" song*  
  
Eventually, our heroes/heroine found the gummi ship - in the middle of the jungle.  
  
"It...won't...start...there! I got it!" Donald called as the rest of them piled into the ship.  
  
"Now, we're headed back to Traverse Town, right?" Goofy said in the cockpit.  
  
"Yep!" Sora said. This time, Donald and Goofy were sitting in the front, with Sora and Corita in the back. Apparantly, Donald didn't want Sora in the front for obvious reasons.  
  
"This ride's gonna be a long one, so are you alright, Corita?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Yep! In fact, I think I'm over it!" She said, reading 'Beginners Abilities'.  
  
"Okay! We have liftoff!" Goofy said as the gummi ship rose into the air and blasted off.  
  
"I wonder what this does?" Sora said, looking at the keychain Tarzan had given him.  
  
Corita looked up from her reading. "Well, it's a keychain, and you have the Keyblade, so put the keychain on the Keyblade!"  
  
"How did you know that?" Sora asked in awe.  
  
Corita shoved the small booklet into his hands. "Chapter 4: Keyblades."  
  
"Cool! I have a whole chapter devoted to my weapon!" Sora said, reading it.  
  
"Alright...I take off this keychain..." Sora read, unclipping the keychain that had come with his weapon. "And clip this one on in its place..." He read. "And it should change the look and power of the Keyblade!" Sora said, clipping on the keychain as the Keyblade vanished in a flash of light and a new Keyblade appeared there.  
  
"Cool!" Sora said, holding up the new and improved Keyblade. He then unclipped the butterfly keychain and hooked the other back on, and the Keyblade came back to its regular form.  
  
"Cool!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We're back!" Sora called. His voice echoed through the town.  
  
"Hmm...where's Leon? He's supposed to sneak up on us about now..."  
  
"Oh well." Corita said. "Let's go!"  
  
"Going somewhere?" Leon's voice asked.  
  
Turning around, the team saw...Leon.  
  
"What a suprise." Donald said. "What are you going to tell us this time? Don't cross before looking both ways? Don't swim without adult supervision?"  
  
"Nope." Leon said calmly. "I just wanted to tell you that you're doing a good job." With that, he walked off.  
  
"Good job Donald!" Sora said. "We had questions for him!"  
  
"Oh well. You'll find him again."  
  
Sora ran ahead to try to catch Leon, but he was no where to be seen.  
  
"Leon's probably in his secret training spot." Yuffie's voice said behind them.  
  
"Where's the secret training spot?" Goofy asked.  
  
"If you go into the alley, there's a path to it."  
  
"Alrighty then!" Goofy said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ugh! It's all slimy and ucky and gross!"  
  
"Oh, be quiet!"  
  
After discovering the path to Leon's secret training place, the 4 friends were trying to get in.  
  
"Just...go!" Corita groaned, pushing Donald into the water.  
  
"Ugh!" "Just swim!" Sora said, jumping in beside him.  
  
Goofy and Corita followed, and they swam the short distance to the land.  
  
"Ugh! Yuck! Blech!" Donald mumbled.  
  
"Hey! Leon!" Sora called.  
  
"What's up?" Leon asked. Beside him stood Aerith, a young woman who had told Donald and Goofy about the Keyblade.  
  
"We have some questions for you!"  
  
"Well, before you ask me, I have some questions for you as well." Leon said.  
  
"Okay..." Sora said.  
  
"When you went to the other worlds, did you find any keyholes?"  
  
"Yep. The Keyblade locked them automatically."  
  
"Good." Aerith said.  
  
"Every world under the stars had a keyhole. The keyhole is the entrance to the world's core. That's why the Heartless try to enter the keyhole."  
  
"What happens if that happens?" Goofy asked.  
  
"In the end, the world vanishes."  
  
"What!?" They all cried.  
  
"That's why your key is so important." Aerith explained. "You must seal the keyholes."  
  
"Besides, Sora! I'm sure we'll find Riku and Kairi soon!" Corita said.  
  
"Well, alright!" Sora said. "Now can I ask my question?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"What's this?" Sora asked, holding out the gummi blocks they'd recieved from Wonderland and the Deep Jungle. Leon remained silent.  
  
"Ask Cid. He'll know." Aerith said.  
  
"Alright." Sora said as he started to go.  
  
"Wait, Sora." Leon said. "Come here."  
  
Sora walked back over to Leon, who handed him a bright green stone.  
  
"I've been holding onto this for luck. I want you to have it." Leon said.  
  
"Wow, thanks!" Sora said, holding up the stone to the small amount of light in the cave.  
  
"Now, go and ask Cid about that gummi block." Aerith said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey there!" Cid said happily. "How can I help you guys?"  
  
"Cid, do you know what this is?" Sora asked, holding out the gummi pieces.  
  
"Well, If it ain't a gummi block." Cid said.  
  
"Yep. Do you know what these do?"  
  
"You're kiddin' me! You've been flyin' a gummi ship and you don't know nothing about gummis? Bunch of pinheads. Interspace ain't no playground." Cid said gruffly.  
  
"So what if we don't know?" Sora said. "We need to use the gummi ship to go to other worlds! We don't have a choice!"  
  
"Alright, alright. No hard feelings, right? Basically, these gummis let you go to other worlds. You'll be wanting one on your ship, right?"  
  
They nodded their heads.  
  
"Alright, I'll install it for ya, but I need to ask ya a favor."  
  
"Okay, what is it?"  
  
"I need you to return this book to someone."  
  
Cid held out a small, old book. Its cover was faded, and several pages were falling out.  
  
"Look for a big fire door in the Third District." Cid said.  
  
"Oh! Is it Merlin's?" Corita asked.  
  
"Yep! You've met him?"  
  
"Just me and Donald."  
  
"Well, than you know the way to go."  
  
Suddenly, a loud bell rang through the air, shattering the silence.  
  
"Wha...what's that?" Sora asked.  
  
"Oh, that's the bell to the gizmo shop. You can check it out if you want, but deliver that book first."  
  
As they were walking out of the shop, Cid called "By the way, after you deliver that book, I'll be in the vacant house in the Third District."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"AHH! Why is this rock moving?" Sora cried.  
  
"You know, Corita reacted the same way." Donald said, hopping onto the stone.  
  
"Don't worry, it gets easier." Corita said.  
  
"Just pretend it's normal." Goofy said to Sora.  
  
"I'm trying to!" He cried.  
  
Eventually, they had to hop across about 5 times, because Sora kept accidentaly knocking them into the water. Soaking wet, they trotted into Merlin's house.  
  
The house was barren and empty, much like how Corita and Donald had seen it before.  
  
"Uh, should we just leave the book and go?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Don't go, you just got here!" Said a disembodied voice.  
  
In walked Merlin, carrying a large bag and looking at his visitors.  
  
"You've arrived earlier than I expected!" He said.  
  
"Garwsh, you know we were coming?" Goofy said.  
  
"Of course."  
  
"Wait...that's right! You told me I'd be seeing you soon!" Corita said.  
  
"Yes, that's right! A fine memory you must have!" Merlin chuckled. "Before we continue with this conversation, may I make this place a bit roomier?"  
  
He opened his bad, and with a swish or two of his wand, the contents began flying around the room and placing themselves in the appropriate places.  
  
"How does everything fit in that bag?" Corita asked, curious.  
  
"Well, It's my own secret." Merlin said mysteriously. "Now, do make yourselves at home."  
  
"Hey, Merlin." Sora said, holding out the book. "Cid fixed this for you."  
  
"Oh, great! When I brought it to him, it was practically falling apart!" He said gleefully, taking the book. "Give Cid my thanks, will you?" He thumbed through the book.  
  
"Where did you get that book, anyway?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Well, one day, I just discovered it in my bag! I was curious about it, so I had Cid fix it up. I'll be able to tell you more after I look it over." Merlin said.  
  
"Hey, what's this?" Sora asked, pointing to a small pumpkin laying near the door.  
  
"Oh, that's the Fairy Godmother."  
  
"Fairy Godmother?"  
  
"Yes. I wish I could turn into a pumpkin. It would save a lot of space!" Merlin chuckled as the pumpkin changed shape into a kind-looking old lady.  
  
"Hello. I'm the Fairy Godmother." She said.  
  
"Well, I guess we should be-" Sora said, but was stopped by the Fairy Godmother.  
  
"What is that?" She asked, pointing to the stone that Leon had given him.  
  
"This?" Sora asked, holding out the stone.  
  
"Yes! Oh, the poor creature!" The Godmother moaned.  
  
"Uh, is this stone special or something?" Sora asked.  
  
"Yes! When a world vanishes, so do its inhabitants, but this poor critter had such a strong heart, he became a stone instead."  
  
"Can he regain himself?"  
  
"Yes, but only his spirit. Now, watch!" The Godmother took a step back and whisked out her wand.  
  
"Bippity Boppity Boo!" She said, swishing her wand over the stone. With a flash of green light, the stone vanished, and the green light entered Sora's body.  
  
"Creepy!" Corita said.  
  
"Now, Sora, you can call him anytime you need help." She said happily.  
  
Saying their goodbyes, the team left Merlin's house, and after nearly dragging Sora across the stones, they made it back to the Third District.  
  
~~Me: Yes, I decided to save the suspense of what happens when Sora and Corita meet up with Riku!  
  
Fans: You're so evil. Update sooner!  
  
Me: _ ~~ 


	13. Ring them bells!

~~Sora53: Look, another chapter done, with more suspense at the end! Oh, the suspense!  
  
Fans: We hate suspense...  
  
Sora53: Thanks, I'll keep that in mind!  
  
Fans: Wait! Isn't this your Thirteenth Chapter?  
  
Sora53: You're right! It is! AH! BAD LUCK!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I STILL DON'T OWN KINGDOM HEARTS!!!  
  
"Merlin seems a little weird." Sora remarked as they walked into the Third District.  
  
"Don't worry about him. He's fine." Donald said.  
  
"Watch it!" Goofy said as a Shadow Heartless appeared in front of them. Sora whisked out the Keyblade and was about to kill it, when a strange sword cut through the Heartless, making it dissapear in a puff of darkness. Looking at the owner of the sword, Sora and Corita could barely believe their eyes. Before them stood...  
  
"Riku!" They cried, moving towards their friend. Sora carefully yanked at his jaw while Corita pulled his hair.  
  
"Hey, hey! What are you guys doing?!" Riku asked, pushing them away.  
  
"Sora, it's really Riku!" Corita exclaimed.  
  
"We're not dreaming this time, right?" Sora asked.  
  
"I hope not. Took forever to find you." Riku said.  
  
"It really is you!" Corita said.  
  
"Wait a second. Where's Kairi?" Sora asked.  
  
"Isn't she with you?" Riku asked. Sora and Corita exchanged nervous glances.  
  
"Don't worry. I'm sure we'll find her, too." Riku said, walking futher into the Third District area where they had fought off the Heartless leader of Traverse Town. "Just leave everything to me." Riku continued as a Shadow Heartless appeared behind him and creeped toward him. Sora took the Keyblade out and defeated the creature just as Riku turned around.  
  
"I know this..." Riku started, but ended as he saw Sora rest the Keyblade on his shoulder.  
  
"Leave it to who?" Sora asked as his friends surrounded him.  
  
"Sora! How did you-" Riku started, but couldn't finish.  
  
"Corita and I have been looking all over for you, with their help!" Sora said, gesturing towards Donald and Goofy.  
  
Riku turned his head towards them.  
  
"Who are they?" He asked.  
  
"Ahem. My name is-" Donald began, but Sora cut him off.  
  
"We're been to so many worlds and places, looking for you!" He said.  
  
"Really? Well, what do you know?" Riku said with a hint of jealousy in his voice.  
  
"And guess what? Sora's the Keyblade Master!" Goofy said happily.  
  
"Who would've thought it?" Donald said, turning away from Sora.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora asked Donald.  
  
"So, this is called a 'Keyblade?'" Riku asked, holding up the gold and silver key to the moonlight.  
  
"Huh? How did you get that?" Corita asked, looking from Sora's hands to Riku's.  
  
"Give it back!" Sora cried, leaping forward. Riku stepped back at the exact right moment, and Sora fell to the ground.  
  
"Catch." Riku said, tossing it to Sora, who caught it and got up off the ground.  
  
"Okay, so you're coming with us, right?" Sora asked. "We've got this awesome rocket! Wait until you see it!"  
  
"No!" Donald said. "He can't come!"  
  
"What?" Sora and Corita asked.  
  
"Forget it!"  
  
"Come on, he's our friend!"  
  
"I don't care!"  
  
"Sora, I say we ditch Feather Brain here and go with Riku ourselves!"  
  
"Good idea!"  
  
"He's gone!"  
  
"Let's go!"  
  
"He's dissapeared!"  
  
"No! We need you to help us find the king!"  
  
"You think I care?"  
  
"Uh, guys, Riku's gone!"  
  
"Not now, Goofy! What? He's gone?"  
  
Turning their heads, they saw that Riku had indeed vanished.  
  
"Nice going." Sora groaned.  
  
"Don't worry. At least he's okay." Corita said.  
  
"You're right. And who knows? Maybe we'll find Kairi soon, too!" Sora said hopefully.  
  
"Guys, we have to meet Cid, remember?" Goofy said.  
  
"Oh, right!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey!" Cid called cheerfully. The once vacant house was now lit up and warm, and Cid, Leon, Yuffie and Aerith were all gathered inside.  
  
"Hi everyone! What's with the gathering?" Corita asked.  
  
"Well, we decided to have a special place to meet and talk." Cid explained. "Did you deliver that book?" "Yep." Sora said. "Have you guys ever heard of Maleficent?" Leon asked. "Maleficent?" Sora asked.  
  
"A witch, man! She's a witch!" Cid said.  
  
"She's the reason all the Heartless are in Traverse Town. Don't take her lightly." Aerith said.  
  
"I finished adding that gummi to your ship." Cid said. "You'll be able to go much farther now."  
  
"Thanks everyone!" Sora, Corita and Goofy said. Corita elbowed Donald and he murmered a thank you.  
  
"Well, I think we'll be checking out the Gizmo Shop later." Sora said.  
  
"Be careful up there. It's all boarded up." Yuffie said.  
  
"Heck, go check it out. Ring the bell three times if you can get in." Cid said.  
  
"Can we do it in the morning?" Goofy asked. "I'm tired..."  
  
Donald sighed. "If we wait until morning, you and Corita will be jumping off the walls for 3 hours! We go NOW!"  
  
"Wow, Donald. You really need to lighten up."  
  
"You need less sugar..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After defeating all the opposing Heartless in the Gizmo Shop, the team left the shop and found a ladder hanging outside.  
  
"I'll climb first!" Goofy said cheerfully, and started his climb up the ladder.  
  
"Wow, great view from up here!" Goofy called down. Corita groaned.  
  
"I hate heights..." She groaned.  
  
"Come on up, everyone!" Goofy said. Sora, Donald and Corita climbed the ladder to the top of the Gizmo Shop, and were greeted by several flying Heartless, some red, some blue, some yellow, and some green. They were quickly defeated, and the group started searching the area for the bell Cid had told them to ring.  
  
Donald walked over to Corita.  
  
"Why are you so afraid of heights?" He asked as Corita peered nervously over the edge of the Gizmo Shop.  
  
"I don't know." Corita answered truthfully. "Something probably happened when I was little, but I don't remember much of my childhood...it's just a bunch of blurs. My earliest memory Sora, Riku and I playing with coconuts near the Paupu Tree..." Corita said.  
  
"You played with coconuts?" Donald asked.  
  
"Well, we played with coconuts, then Sora and Riku grew into throwing them at each other, and then they got into fighting each other."  
  
"They THREW them at each other? That explains a lot..."  
  
"Yep. It hurt, too, when they missed each other and they hit me..." Corita said. "Anyway, we should get back to-"  
  
"Donald! Corita!" Goofy called. "Come here!"  
  
They walked over to Goofy and Sora, who had found a boarded up wall.  
  
"Reckon there's something behind it?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Maybe...but how are we supposed to get in?" Corita asked.  
  
Corita suddenly felt something on her head. Brushing her hair off, a small voice said, "Hey! Hey! Be careful!"  
  
"AH!" Corita yelled, brushing off her brown hair. "What's on my head?!"  
  
"It's me! Jiminy Cricket!" The creature said, who then lept into Goofy's hands.  
  
"You didn't tell them about me yet?" The cricket asked Goofy.  
  
"We were going to the next the morning..." Donald said. "But Goofy and Corita decided to go on a peppy rampage!"  
  
"A peppy rampage?" The cricket asked. Donald nodded his head.  
  
Goofy held out the cricket. "Sora, Corita, this is Jiminy Cricket." The cricket gave a small bow.  
  
"Jiminy Cricket?" Corita asked. "How come we've never seen you before?"  
  
"Well, I work behind the scenes, writing down all the infomation on all your adventures." Jiminy explained.  
  
"You write it all down? Where?" Sora asked. Jiminy jumped into one of Goofy's pocket's and pulled out a small book.  
  
"In here." He said proudly.  
  
"Wow!" Corita said, pulling out the book. "We've defeated 502 Shadow Heartless? You counted?" She asked.  
  
"Yes." Jiminy said proudly. "Now, next time, please don't try to swat me off your head. I get a better view from the tops of people's heads."  
  
With that, the cricket lept back into Goofy's pocket.  
  
"Hey, this is pretty interesting!" Corita read as her friends searched for a way in. "Did you know that there's a chapter dedicated to us, Sora?"  
  
"Really?" He asked. "We should read it...after we find a way in!"  
  
"Well, I guess we're just going to have to bust it..." Donald said, taking out his staff.  
  
"FIRE!" He screeched, and a blast of fire shot from his staff. The weak wall was blasted open, but some of the wood caught on fire.  
  
"BLIZZARD!" Donald quacked, and the fire was quickly put out.  
  
"Look! It's the bell Cid was talking about!" Goofy said, pointing to it.  
  
Inside was a small area, and inside the small area was a large bell. When a large bell is put inside a small area, it leaves a very small space.  
  
"Alright, I'm going in!" Sora said, entering the bell area.  
  
"Ugh! It's really cramped in here!" Sora whined.  
  
"Stop complaining and ring the bell!" Corita said to her brother.  
  
"Alright..."  
  
"Why does Cid want us to ring this bell anyway?" Goofy asked.  
  
"I don't know, because he's crazy?" Donald suggested.  
  
"One..." Sora said as he pulled the rope to the bell, and the bell echoed it's eerie tune.  
  
"Two..." He said as he pulled the rope again.  
  
"Three!" He said, giving it a final tug.  
  
~~Sora53: Oh! The suspense! I can't take it!  
  
Fans: What are you talking about? You already knows what happens at the end of this fic!  
  
Sora53: What's your point? I can still attempt to feel your pain...  
  
Fans: Whatever. Update sooner next time.~~ 


	14. Only a dream

~~Sora53: I hate writing boss battles. They're so annoying.  
  
Fans: So?  
  
Sora53: Show some sympathy!  
  
Fans: Why should we? We just read and review! That's enough for us!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I STILL don't own Kingdom Hearts. But I own Corita. Like always. IT'S BEEN THE SAME FOR THE LAST 13 CHAPTERS! AHH!!  
  
The final pull of the rope caused the bell to swing back farther, nearly hitting Sora, who dodged it just in time.  
  
The bell's tune echoed throughout all of Traverse Town.  
  
"So...what did that do?" Corita asked.  
  
"Guys! Look!" Goofy said, pointing down into the Second District.  
  
"Not now, Goofy!" Donald said as they tried to remember everything Cid had said.  
  
"No one ever listens to me..." Goofy groaned. "But the Keyhole's down there now!"  
  
"The Keyhole?!" Goofy was nearly knocked off the Gizmo Shop as 3 other people can running towards him. Luckily, he got out of the way just in time as Sora, Corita and Donald came very close to going over the edge themselves.  
  
"AH!" Corita screeched, clinging to Sora.  
  
"Oh boy. Corita, YOU DIDN'T FALL OVER!" Sora said.  
  
"Yeah, well, I could have!" She moaned as Sora pulled her off.  
  
"Ahem!" Goofy said, pointing towards the Keyhole.  
  
"Alrighty!" Sora said, running back towards the ladder, Corita following close behind.  
  
"Ready, Goofy?" Donald asked Goofy.  
  
"Yep! Let's seal that thing!" He said cheerfully, following Corita.  
  
"I'm last again..." Donald said, following Goofy.  
  
The party continued like this until the four of them reached the fountain where the Keyhole rested.  
  
"I'll just seal this up quick..." Sora said, taking out the Keyblade.  
  
"Sora! Look out!" Goofy said, pointing to the sky.  
  
"NOT NOW, GOOFY!" Donald yelled.  
  
"No, really! Look!"  
  
"Not right-"  
  
Sora was cut off as the Heartless Leader of Traverse Town fell from the sky again. He looked the same as before, only a bit more battered.  
  
"I thought we beat him?" Sora said, running back to his friends.  
  
"Doesn't matter. Let's get him!" Corita said, running forward. But this time, she had only cast thunder once, and her friends had only taken a few whacks at him before he fell to the ground, motionless.  
  
"Well, that was easy!" Sora said.  
  
"Watch out!" Goofy said. The Heartless Leader managed to get up again, looking quite beaten. Instead of fighting back, it simply switched its arms and feet around, giving it a more fierce appearance.  
  
"I suppose it thinks that's going to scare us?" Sora asked as the Heartless's armor fell off it's face, revealing it for the first time.  
  
"Hey, it has eyes! Go for the eyes!" Sora said, running forward.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
It only took a few minutes for the group to realize that the Opposite Armor, as Jiminy dubbed him, was much harder that the Guard Armor, also dubbed by the clever cricket. With Sora and Goofy slashing it's face and Corita and Donald blasting it with a variety of spells, you'd think the battle would go swiftly. But it was anything but swift.  
  
"What's it doing?" Corita asked. The Opposite Armor was flipping it's torso on it's side and putting it's arms to it's side, to create a type of cannon.  
  
"It looks like a cannon! DUCK AND COVER!" Sora yelled, running to the side.  
  
"Duck? Huh?" Donald asked, looking around.  
  
"Get out of the way, birdbrain!" Corita said, pulling him away by the wing in the nick of time. A bright blue beam shot out of the cannon and nearly hit them.  
  
"When people want you, they'll call you by your name." Corita said gruffly to Donald.  
  
After the Opposite Armor had gone back to normal, the team slowly defeated arms and legs. Watching the battle, you would've seen a blur of red, silver and gold leaping up to slash the Opposite armor, a smaller reddish blur and flashes of green coming from it, a white and blue blur with a variety of colors coming from it, and a yellow and green blur also slashing the Opposite Armor's various limbs.  
  
The Opposite Armor was finally defeated, and the purple torso fell to the ground with a clatter, just like last time. A small bluish heart flew from the creature, floating upwards towards the night sky, and the torso vanished with a flash of light.  
  
"I hope we never have to do that again..." Sora said.  
  
"Sora...CLOSE THE KEYHOLE!" His friends shouted.  
  
"Oh, right!" Sora said, walking towards the giant blue Keyhole. Holding out the Keyblade, the Keyhole was sealed with a flash of blue light. After the locking noise they'd come to love, the Keyhole vanished, leaving the fountain as it had once been.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You sealed the Keyhole?" Cid asked.  
  
"Yep, it was easy.  
  
"Great! We never have to worry about the Heartless taking this world." He said.  
  
"Hey Cid, if you're here, who's running the Accessory Shop?"  
  
"Beats me. Why don't you go find out for me?"  
  
The team lep off the small wall and walked to the Accessory Shop. Inside, it was empty.  
  
"Well, It doesn't look like te owner's running it very well..." Donald said.  
  
"Well, well, as I live and breathe! If it isn't Pinocchio!" Jiminy said, leaping onto Sora's head.  
  
Looking in Jiminy's direction, they saw a small wooden puppet on the ground.  
  
"Oh. Hi, Jiminy!" The puppet said, sitting up.  
  
"What in the world are you doing down here?" The cricket asked.  
  
"Um..." Pinocchio said. "Playing hide-and-seek!" He said.  
  
"I just don't believe it." Jiminy said, pacing back and forth on the ground. "And here I was, up all night, just worried sick about you. Why of all the-Pinocchio!"  
  
Jiminy had been stopped by Pinocchio, who's nose suddenly grew much longer.  
  
"Pinocchio! Are you telling me the truth?" Jiminy asked.  
  
"Yes!" The boy said.  
  
"Then tell me, what is this?" Jiminy asked, prodding a small box next to Pinocchio.  
  
"It was a present!" Pinocchio said.  
  
"No fibbing now!" Jiminy said. "You know you're not supposed to tell lies. A lie only grows and grows, 'til you get caught! Plain as the nose on your face!"  
  
"But if you want something, why wait? Why not just take it?"  
  
"Oh, my! Who told you that? You need some advice from your conscience!"  
  
"That's right! You're my conscience, Jiminy! I'll never tell lies as long as you're around."  
  
With that, Pinocchio's nose returned to normal.  
  
"You need to be good so you can become a real boy. You promised Geppetto you would be, right?"  
  
"Oh! Do you know where Father is?"  
  
"He's not with you?"  
  
"Jiminy, let's go find Father!" Pinocchio said eagerly.  
  
"Now, hold on! There are all sorts of dangers and temptations out there! I'll go find Geppetto, so you just wait here. These fellows here will be helping me." Jiminy said, pointing to Sora and Corita, who were listening eagerly, and Goofy, who was trying to wake up Donald, who was sleeping on the couch.  
  
"We will?" Sora asked.  
  
"Well, shall we go, Sora?" Jiminy asked, hopping back into one of Sora's pockets.  
  
"You could've asked us first..." Sora said.  
  
"Huh? What-what's going on?" Donald asked.  
  
"I think we'd better rest up before heading out." Corita said, opening the door of the Accessory Shop.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Laying in bed that night, Corita could barely sleep. It was a cool night, and Goofy wasn't even snoring next door. Closing her eyes, she tried to drift off to sleep, but she couldn't. She lay there for a long time, before finally falling asleep.  
  
"You see? It's just as I told you." A mysterious woman dressed in black said to Riku. They were standing near the vacant house that Leon and his friends had taken in as their Secret Base. "While you toiled away trying to find your dear friends, they quite simply replaced you with some new companions. Evidently, now they value them far more than they value you. You're better off without those wretched twins. Now, think no more of them, and come with me. I'll help you find what you're searching for..."  
  
"Huh?" Corita said, waking up. Looking around, all she saw was her Hotel Room. Resting her head on her pillow, she tried to absorb what happened, but she couldn't.  
  
"It was just a dream." She told herself. "Just a dream..."  
  
~~Sora53: Oh! The dramatic touch! The suspense! I'm so cruel!  
  
Fans: _  
  
Sora53: WAHAHA!!!~~ 


	15. Welcome to Agrabah!

~~Sora53: Ah, finally, another chapter. A short chapter, but a chapter. I can't say how sorry I am for not writing for so long...~~  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own Kingdom Hearts. I do own Corita.  
  
Still thinking about the dream, Corita got up, got dressed, and walked outside onto the balcony in her room. The small alley in Traverse Town had no one in it...ever. So many Heartless crawled around there no one dared set foot in the alley. A small breeze ruffled Corita's hair, and she walked back inside.  
  
"It was just a dream...but it was so real..." She thought to herself. She sat down on her bed.  
  
Someone knocked on her door.  
  
"Come in." Corita called. Sora walked in.  
  
"Hey, Corita. Ready to go?" He asked.  
  
"I guess so." She said, standing up.  
  
The next day, she didn't remember the dream at all.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We're blasting off!" Donald called from the cockpit.  
  
"Let's go!" Sora squealed as the gummi ship took off.  
  
Corita rolled her eyes. "Here, Sora. Read the chapter about the Keyblade again." She said, shoving 'Beginners Abilities'.into his lap.  
  
"I read it already." He said happily.  
  
"Then read this." She said, handing him Jiminy's Journal. Sora sighed and started reading it.  
  
"Hey, what's that up ahead?" Goofy asked.  
  
"I don't know.." Donald said. Ahead of them was a glowing purple and black orb in the sky.  
  
Donald pressed a button on the control panel.  
  
"Ahem. Chip? Dale?" He said into a speaker.  
  
"Huh? This is Chip and Dale..." Said a small squeaky voice back.  
  
"What is that thing ahead?"  
  
"What thing? Dale, I'm talking into it now!"  
  
"But I want to!" A different voice groaned.  
  
"AHEM! It's a purple and black orb!"  
  
"Oh! Let me look it up...Dale, go away!"  
  
"No! I wanna look!"  
  
I'M DOING IT!"  
  
"It's a warp hole!" Cortia cried, holding out 'Gummi Ships for Boneheads'.  
  
"Where did you get that?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Cid gave it to me."  
  
"DONALD, GET OUT OF THE WAY!"  
  
"Dale, give me that book!"  
  
"No way, Chip!"  
  
"Too late!"  
  
The last words, 'too late,' came out of Goofy's mouth. Right after that, the gummi ship was jerked forward so quickly that Corita thought she was going to fly through the windshield when they stopped. They were flying through a purple and black tunnel, and it was hard to see. The wild ride ended as quickly as it had began.  
  
"Whoa!" They all cried as they tumbled forward.  
  
"Where are we now?" Sora asked.  
  
"I don't know..." Donald said, sitting up and looking around. The sky looked different than it had before.  
  
"CHIP! DALE!" Donald screeched into the speaker.  
  
"What? What happened?" A voice answered.  
  
"Where are we?"  
  
"Let me look at my computer..."  
  
"No, I want to look!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"According to this map, we're right here." Corita said, pointing to a spot on the map. "And there is another world right around here! Go forward, Donald!"  
  
"Well, alright, but if we end up in the middle of space, you're in big trouble!" Donald said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"See? I told you!" Corita said proudly as the gummi ship landed and the 4 friends entered the world.  
  
"Yeah, yeah..." Donald mumbled.  
  
"Whew! It sure is hot here!" Goofy said, looking around.  
  
"That would be because we're near a desert." Donald pointed out.  
  
"Let's look around a little." Sora said.  
  
The team had entered a small town, surrounded by a desert. The midday sun beat down on the group.  
  
"Isn't there any shade here?" Corita asked.  
  
"There's some shade here!" Goofy said, pointing to some fruit carts in a small alley.  
  
"Great!" Corita said, running towards the small amount of shade supplied by the empty fruit carts, as curtains still hung above them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Okay..." Sora said as the 4 of them crammed under the small amount of shade. "According to 'Gummi Ships for Boneheads', we're in a town called Agrabah..."  
  
"Agrabah? I think I've heard of that place before!" Goofy said. His friends turned to him.  
  
"Really?" Donald asked. "Who didn't you say anything before?!"  
  
Goofy shrugged. "You guys never listen to me."  
  
"We're sorry..."  
  
"Yeah, I forgive you." Goofy said happily.  
  
"There's Goofy for you!" Corita said. "So, what do you know about this place besides the fact that it's boiling hot?"  
  
"Well, it's an average desert town, and a Sultan and his daughter live here."  
  
"Anything else?"  
  
"No, that's pretty much it."  
  
"Well, that's something." Corita shrugged.  
  
"Who's there? Hello?"  
  
The unfamiliar voice caused them to spin around so fast they almost knocked each other over. Emerging from behind a stack of boxes was a young woman.  
  
"Who are you?" Sora asked.  
  
"I'm Jasmine." She said nervously. "My father is the Sultan of Agrabah."  
  
"Uh, so that makes you a princess, right?" Goofy asked.  
  
Jasmine nodded. "But he has been deposed by Jafar, who now controls the city."  
  
"Who's Jafar?" Corita asked. Jasmine looked slightly shocked.  
  
"You haven't heard of him? He's the royal vizier. He's gained evil powers and seized Agrabah. He's desperately looking for somethin- something he calls the 'Keyhole.' Jafar caught me trying to escape, but he helped me."  
  
"Who helped you?" Sora asked.  
  
"We were hiding nearby, but he left a while ago to take care of something... Oh, I hope Aladdin is all right."  
  
"Aladdin? Where might I find this street rat?" A cold, cruel voice rang.  
  
Looking up to the top of a wall above them, there stood a tall, evil- looking man draped in red and black.  
  
"Jasmine, allow me to find you more suitable company, my dear princess." He said, smirking. "These little rats won't do, you see."  
  
"Jasmine, run!" Sora cried, readying the Keyblade. The Key seemed to glow in the hot sun. Following his lead, Corita, Donald and Goofy took out their weapons, ready to fight.  
  
"Ah..." Jafar smirked. "The boy who holds the Key." He turned to Corita, Goofy and Donald. "And who are these? Your bodyguards?"  
  
"I'm his sister." Corita growled. Jafar smiled, and turned away. As he walked off, several Heartless appeared in dark flashes.  
  
~~Sora53: Well, expect a longer chaper next time, and much sooner, and much better!!~~ 


	16. Genie of the Lamp

~~Sora53: Hey, Fans?  
  
Fans: What?  
  
Sora53: Guess what day it is?  
  
Fans: What day is it?  
  
Sora53: IT'S THE ONE YEAR MARK OF WHEN KINGDOM HEARTS CAME OUT!!  
  
Fans: Really? Whoo.~~  
  
Disclaimer: I'm still to poor to own anything but Corita. Corita: HEY!  
  
"Amazing! Simply astounding!" Jiminy cried, perched on Goofy's head, scribbling down information in his journal.  
  
"You've defeated 4 Bandits already!"  
  
"Writing in that journal again, Jiminy?" Sora asked.  
  
"Of course! It's my duty!" Jiminy stated royally. "Hey, what do you think of this as a bio for Jafar? 'He's mean, he's lean, If he was a girl, he'd be queen?'"  
  
"Um..."  
  
"Fine! I'll write something else..."  
  
"Hey, what's that?" Donald asked, pointing towards the sky.  
  
Looking up, there seemed to be a purple and blue piece of paper fluttering in the sky.  
  
"It's a carpet!" Corita said, squinting through the glare of the sun.  
  
"A carpet? A flying carpet? Oh, goodie!" Jiminy said.  
  
"It looks like it's going towards the desert." Donald observed. "Let's follow it!"  
  
Stumbling over each other, they finally reached the entrance to the desert.  
  
"Ow! That was my foot!"  
  
"Well, you stepped on my hand!"  
  
"That's physically impossible!"  
  
"Donald! Corita! Stop! Look, there it is!" Sora said, pointing towards the carpet.  
  
It was standing there (If a carpet could stand) and it looked rather worried.  
  
"I think it wants us to go with it!" Goofy said.  
  
"How can you tell?" Corita asked nervously.  
  
"I know these things." Goofy said, walking towards the carpet. "You want us to go with you, right?"  
  
The carpet nodded (If carpets can nod) and spread itself out horozontially, as if waiting for people to get on.  
  
"Well, that's a no-brainer! Let's go!" Goofy said, lifting himself onto the carpet. Sora had to give Donald a boost, and then got on himself.  
  
"Aren't you coming?" Sora asked Corita.  
  
"Yes...I'm coming..." Corita said softly, clamboring on. As soon as Corita sat down, the carpet shot forward, nearly knocking off its passengers.  
  
"Corita?"  
  
"Y-yes?"  
  
"You're cutting off the circulation in my wrist." Sora said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Oh...sorry."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Where are we?" Goofy asked as the carpet landed. The flight had taken a while, and it was getting dark out.  
  
"Hmm..." Corita said, flipping through 'Gummi Ships for Boneheads'. " Apparantly, we're in uncharted territory.  
  
"That's never good..." Donald groaned.  
  
"Stop!" Sora said, stopping Donald and Goofy, both of whom were walking forward.  
  
"What's wrong?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Something's wrong." Sora said, looking around. "Be careful..." He took out the Keyblade and took a step forward. Nothing happened.  
  
"See, it's fine!" Corita said, walking forward. "Hey, what's that?"  
  
Running forward, the team saw a young man trapped in quicksand.  
  
"We've got to save him!" She cried.  
  
Suddenly, several Bandits lept out of the sand, spraying sand towards the team.  
  
"WATCH OUT!" Goofy cried, holding his shield out to guard them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"They just keep coming!" Corita gasped, taking out another ether.  
  
"This has to end soon!" Sora answered.  
  
Behind them, the young man had managed to free himself from the quicksand.  
  
"Genie, get rid of these guys!" He cried, rubbing what looked like a small golden lamp.  
  
Instantly, Corita, Sora, Donald, and Goofy stopped fighting and stared at what was happening. A blue and pinkish smoke-like substance was coming out of the lamp. In a few seconds, it had taken a form.  
  
"Wish Number One, coming right up!" said the genie happily. With a snap of his fingers, the Heartless vanished. With that, the genie vanished.  
  
"Wow, that was awesome!" Sora said in awe.  
  
"Who are you?" Donald asked.  
  
"I'm Aladdin. Who are you?" Aladdin asked.  
  
"I'm Sora. This is Corita, my sister. This is Donald and Goofy."  
  
"Well, this isn't really the time to talk." Aladdin said. "We can talk later on the carpet."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I see... Thanks, Sora." Aladdin said as the carpet landed at the edge of Agrabah.  
  
"Aladdin, what are you doing out here, anyway?" Sora asked.  
  
"Same old stuff. Hunting legendary treasure." Aladdin said, as if it was as natural as shopping for grochery's.  
  
"Just paid a visit to the Cave of Wonders. I found that magic carpet, and this lamp." He said, nodding towards the carpet and holding out the lamp. "Legend has it that whoever holds the lamp summon the-"  
  
"Please, kid, leave the intros to a professional!" The Genie said. "The one and only GENIE OF THE LAMP! Rub-a-dub-dub the lamp and have your dearest wishes granted. Today's winner is...Aladdin! Congratulations!" All of this was said rather fast, and it was hard to pay attention with the various confetti and balloons that had materialized.  
  
"Any wish?" Donald asked curiously.  
  
"Patience, my fine, feathered friend!" The Genie said to Donald. "Any three wishes!" With this said, the Genie split into 3 identical genie's."A one wish, a two wish, three wish. Then I make like a banana and split!" "Our lucky winner made his first wish!" "And let me tell you, what a wish that wish was!" He whispered to Sora. "So he has two left! So, master, what'll you have for Wish Number Two?"  
  
Aladdin thought for a minute. "Hmm, how about making me a fabulously wealthy prince?" He asked.  
  
"Oooh! Money! Royalty! Fame! Why didn't I think of that? Okay, you asked for it! A hundred servants and a hundred camels loaded with gold! Just say the word and I'll deliver it in 30 minutes or less, or your meal's free. Hey, I'll even throw in a cappuccino!" The Genie said.  
  
"No thanks." Aladdin said quickly.  
  
"Okay." The Genie said.  
  
Aladdin thought for a second. "I think I'll put that on hold until we reach Agrabah."  
  
"Why a prince?" Corita asked.  
  
"Well, there's this girl in Agrabah...named Jasmine." Aladdin said dreamily.  
  
"But she's a princess, and I'm... Aw, she could never fall for a guy like me."  
  
"Uh, princess?" Goofy said.  
  
"Jasmine?" Donald said.  
  
"Oh, that's right!" Sora said, putting together the puzzle. "She's in trouble, Aladdin!"  
  
"WHAT?!" Aladdin cried. "Well, c'mon, let's move!"  
  
~~Sora53: *makes party hats and hands them to everyone.*  
  
Fans: Party hats?  
  
Sora53: It's a very special birthday!  
  
Fans: I know!  
  
Sora53: Aw, you're finally getting into the spirit! ^_^  
  
Fans: Not really.~~ 


	17. When Time Stands Still

~~Sora53: Hello! this chapter is a bit longer. It would've been longer, but I'm just way too lazy to do two boss battles in one chapter. Oh, the suspense!! *sees a piece of paper on the ground* Hmm...what's this?  
  
MEMO from: THE FANS Re: We quit!  
  
Sora53: WHAT?! They can't quit! I pay them!  
  
Fan's Memo: We're tired of not getting paid!  
  
Sora53: X_x~~  
  
Disclaimer: I'm trying to earn 500 dollars by Christmas, but I could never get enough to own Kingdom Hearts. But I own Corita for free. *smirk*  
  
Aladdin led the group back to his house. Aladdin was running swiftly through the hot sun, but his followers weren't as pleased to run through the heat.  
  
"Can't...we...rest...yet?" Corita gasped.  
  
"We'e almost there!" Aladdin yelled from 20 feet ahead. He made a swift turn, and seemed to disappear into a wall.  
  
"Aladdin?" Sora called, running towards where he'd disappeared.  
  
"It's okay! Just climb the pole!" Aladdin called from above. Upon closer examination, the team saw that there was a small area in the wall with a lumpy pole.  
  
"I'll go first." Donald said, attempting to climb the pole, but falling flat on his face.  
  
"You can't climb with wings! Why not fly up?" Corita said sarcastically, climbing up.  
  
Grumbling, Donald climbed onto Goofy's shoulders, who gave him a lift.  
  
"About time!" Aladdin said as Goofy and Donald climbed out of the hole.  
  
"Easy for you to say!" Sora said, slumped on a wooden crate.  
  
Aladdin shrugged. "When you've lived on the streets as long as me, you kind of learn to ignore the heat..."  
  
Aladdin turned away. "So, Jafar is after Jasmine and this 'Keyhole...'"  
  
"Keyhole?" The Genie asked. "I think I've heard of that before!"  
  
"Really?!" Everyone asked.  
  
"Yes! Now, what was it...couldn't have been more than 500 or 600 years ago..."  
  
"Well, anyway..." Sora said as the Genie was lost in thought. "We've got to find Jasmine before it's too late. Where do you think Jafar would take her?"  
  
"The Royal Palace." Corita said simply.  
  
Everyone turned towards her.  
  
"'Gummi Ships for Boneheads'?"  
  
"'Gummi Ships for Boneheads'."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hurry!" Aladdin cried as they ran through the town.  
  
"Aladdin, we can't go any faster!"  
  
"There are Heartless on our tail!"  
  
"Fine! Let's hurry up and beat the Heartless!"  
  
Aladdin made a swift U-turn and joined in the fight behind him. After the Heartless had been eliminated, Aladdin continued just as swiftly towards the Royal Palace.  
  
They eventually came to a doorway, but it was closed off by metal bars. Beside it was a keyhole.  
  
"How are we supposed to get in?" Sora asked.  
  
Corita sighed. "Sora?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"ARE YOU THE KEYBLADE MASTER OR NOT?!"  
  
"Good idea!"  
  
Sora took out the Keyblade, and after giving a few fancy spins, the stuck it into the keyhole. The gate opened instantly.  
  
Mumbling, Corita entered, second only after Aladdin.  
  
"He really likes her, huh?" Goofy said.  
  
Past the doorway was a small ledge. Looking down, Jafar and Jasmine were before the Royal Palace doors.  
  
"Let's go!" Aladdin said, jumping down. His friends followed behind him.  
  
Jafar smirked as he saw Aladdin land softly on the ground.  
  
"Settings your sights a little high, aren't you, boy?" He asked cruelly, his voice piercing the air itself. "Back to your hole, street rat. I will not allow you to trouble the princess any more."  
  
"Jasmine!" Aladdin cried.  
  
"I'm sorry, Aladdin!" Jasmine cried, held back by Jafar.  
  
Aladdin began rubbing the golden lamp that help the Genie behind his back, muttering. Instantly, the Genie zoomed out and picked Jasmine up.  
  
"One wish left! You're making this really easy, you know!" He said, cradling Jasmine in his arms.  
  
"So sorry, boy! I'm afraid your second wish has been denied." Jafar said, holding out his hands. Above them, Jafar's evil parrot had taken the lamp from Aladdin.  
  
"Huh?!" Aladdin cried, looking at his now empty hands.  
  
"I'm sorry, Al..." The Genie said sadly, dropping Jasmine, who fell into a reddish pot.  
  
"And now, I bid you all farewell. Attack!" Jafar said, and the pots all around them began to sprout long spider legs. Right behind them, the pots expoded into what appeared to be a head and an end. Jafar vanished into thin air.  
  
"Ack! No fair!" Corita said, taking out her staff.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The pots seemed to be more of a problem than they thought. They kept trying to join together to form a giant centipede.  
  
"Slash at it's head!" Sora said, taking a couple whacks.  
  
Corita was knocked to the ground by a pot, and quickly shot a blizzard spell at it, causing it to explode.  
  
"Be careful!" Aladdin cried. "Jasmine's in one of them!"  
  
Even though they destroyed many of the pots, their worst fears came true. The body of a giant centipede formed, and stared down at them with a hunger only satisfied by a heart.  
  
"This isn't working!" Donald cried. "We need some more help!"  
  
"Help?" Sora thought, and stopped for a moment. "I hope I know how to do this..."  
  
"Sora! What are you doing?!" Corita cried.  
  
Sora help the Keyblade close to his heart, them swiftly spun in around and held it in the air. Suddenly, it was like time itself had stopped. The world became white and misty, and Corita could see nothing but the white clouds and Sora. Nothing moved. The worlds and time were stopped in their tracks. Corita tried to speak, but nothing came out. Finally, she was able to choke one word.  
  
"Sora?"  
  
Sora turned his head and looked at her. He grinned. Suddenly, bright flashes of light appeared on the end of the Keyblade, shooting themselves into the sky. Appearing there were the clouds in the shape of a lion. The lion cloud looked so real, Corita thought it was real. Suddenly, with a jolt, she realized that it was! A real lion was stepping out the the clouds. The great beast game a mighty roar, and lept from the sky to Sora's side.  
  
Suddenly, as instantly as time had stopped, it seemed to begin again. The misty white blanket was replaced by the battle scene, complete now with a lion fighting by Sora's side. It seemed as if Sora was controlling the beast, and commanding him to attack the monster. With this new aid, the centipede was easily defeated, and the lion disappeared in a bright flash of many colors.  
  
"What...was that?" Corita asked Sora. Sora shrugged.  
  
"Remember when the Fairy Godmother could summon the creature's spirit?" He said.  
  
"Yes, but what happened?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Donald asked.  
  
"With the fog and when everything stopped moving?"  
  
"What are you talking about?" Goofy asked.  
  
"You guys didn't see it? You didn't feel it?"  
  
"No, we just kept fighting..."  
  
"Are you sure you're okay?" Aladdin asked.  
  
"Yes...I'm fine..." Corita said, rubbing her forehead. "What about Jasmine?"  
  
Aladdin sighed and hung his head. "It looks like Jafar got to her before we could again..."  
  
"I'm sorry." Corita said sadly.  
  
"Well, let's head to the desert! We may find something there!" Aladdin said, walking off. He was closely followed by Goofy and Donald. Corita and Sora walked side by side in silence. Before they exited the Royal Palace's gates, though, Sora whispered something to Corita.  
  
"I felt it, too."  
  
~~Sora53: *sobs*  
  
*more sobs*  
  
*even more sobs*  
  
What? Oh! I wasn't sobbing uncontrollably! I can live without them! I can! I can't...!! *sobs more*  
  
Fans: *hiding behind computer screen holding video cameras* Heehee...classic!!~~ 


	18. Cave of Wonders

~~Sora53: X_X  
  
Fans: Let's watch it again!  
  
Sora53: *sobbing on tape*~~  
  
The air ruffled the already messy hair of Corita and Sora, who were sitting on the end of the carpet. Aladdin was in front, and Goofy and Donald were curled up in the middle. The carpet's space was cramped with 5 people onboard, but the carpet was very strong and held up to the weight. Underneath the messy brown hair of Corita, her brain was buzzing with questions.  
  
Why had she felt Sora summon the lion, Simba? Back in Merlin's house, the green light had entered him, not her...even if it did effect everyone around him, were Aladdin, Donald, and Goofy all playing a cruel joke on her? Donald would do something like that for fun, but not Goofy or Aladdin...  
  
"Corita, are you okay?" Goofy asked, looking at her with a concerned look on his face. "You've been awfully quiet this whole way."  
  
"Well, we are pretty high up. Maybe she's just scared?" Donald suggested.  
  
"What? How high--EEK!!" Corita cried, looking down. They were about 20 feet above the ground, and two seconds later, Corita was hyperventilating. "GET ME OFF THIS CRAZY THING!!"  
  
"It's okay, Corita! We're slowing down!" Sora cried, prying Corita's wrist off his arm.  
  
"Really? Oh, good!" Corita sighed.  
  
They stepped off the carpet, who was hovering inches above the ground now. They were in the same place it had taken them before, but a different aura hung around the area like a soft blanket, to discreet to be identified.  
  
"Something's different." Corita said instantly.  
  
"I know..." Sora said. "Why did the carpet bring us back here?"  
  
"I don't know..." Aladdin said. "This is where the entrance to the Cave of Wonders is.  
  
"Cave of Wonders?"  
  
"It's a mysterious cave, formed long ago. It is full of great treasures." Aladdin explained.  
  
"How do you get in? I don't see anything..."  
  
"It's hidden under the sand until someone worthy of entering arrives."  
  
"So, you went in and got the lamp, right?"  
  
"Right, but something's wrong." Aladdin walked forward, towards the area that the quicksand had been before.  
  
Instantly, the ground began to rumble. Before them, a giant mass was emerging from the sand. It slowly took a form, and it appeared as the shape of a giant tiger's head.  
  
"It's possessed!" Aladdin cried as Heartless appeared before them. The tiger's eyes glowed with darkness.  
  
The Heartless ran towards them as the tiger's head reared backwards.  
  
"SAND!" Donald cried as a great spray of sand came pummeling towards them.  
  
"AH!" Everyone cried, holding up their weapons in hopes of blocking it. It worked somewhat, but sand still covered their clothing.  
  
"It's just sand! Get it's eyes!" Sora cried, leaping forward.  
  
Goofy and Aladdin joined his fight against the tiger head while Corita and Donald took out the Heartless. With every spray of sand came more Heartless, and the sand was starting to hit them unexpectadly, getting in their eyes.  
  
"This is ridiculous!" Corita cried, rubbing sand out of her eyes. As she did so, she felt something close around her ankles tightly, and she gasped in suprise and pain.  
  
"What the-?" Corita cried as she hit the sandy floor, and felt herself being dragged along the ground. She turned her head, and a Heartless Shadow had grabbed her around the ankles and was dragging her away. Another Shadow joined the first, and then another.  
  
"Wha-?" Corita was too baffled to do anything. Donald must have sensed that, because a fire spell shot the middle Shadow, knocking it away and allowing Corita to stand up.  
  
"Are you okay?" Donald quacked.  
  
"I think so..." Corita said slowly, brushing herself off. Behind her, Sora was dodging Heartless attacks and trying to jump back onto the tiger's head. The tiger was rearing back, ready to shoot torrents of sand at her brother."  
  
"Sora!" Corita cried, holding up her staff. The same warm feeling welled up inside her like she was casting a cure spell, but it seemed to spin inside her, faster and faster, like a fierce wind. It shot out of her staff like a great gust, and within seconds, a windy barrier surrounded Sora. Sora stopped instantly, and looked at the barrier with a puzzled look on his face. Suddenly, he realized the tiger's head was ready to strike. He put his arm up to protect himself, but the sand bounced off the spell and shot back at the tiger's eyes.  
  
The tiger's head roared with pain, and it slowed it's movement. The darkness seemed to flow out of it's eyes, and it settled back into a dormant position. The Heartless scurried away and settled back into the sand, and it was over.  
  
Donald looked at Corita in awe. "What....was that?" He asked.  
  
"I don't know..." Corita said. Meanwhile, Sora, Goofy, and Aladdin were walking back towards them. The barrier around Sora was still strong.  
  
"Corita...what is this?" Sora asked, poking the barrier. His fingers simply went through it.  
  
"I don't know. We'll have to ask Merlin when we get back to Traverse Town." Corita asked, rubbing her ankles. "By the way...what was with those Heartless?"  
  
"I don't know. I've never seem them drag their prey away. Usually it's just...grab their heart and go." Goofy said.  
  
"Well, I guess I got lucky, then." Corita said nervously.  
  
"I hate to interrupt this..." Aladdin said. "BUT JASMINE'S IN THERE!"  
  
"Oh, right!" Corita said, running towards the entrance to the Cave of Wonders. "Let's go, guys!"  
  
The entrance to the cave was brightly lit, but as they walked foward, the place grew dark.  
  
"Is it supposed to be this dark?" Corita asked, standing next to Sora. The barrier around him was starting to fade, but the remaining winds still felt cool against her skin.  
  
"I guess so." Goofy said. "Lead the way, Aladdin!"  
  
"No problem!" Aladdin said, leading them along a dark room. The Cave of Wonders was dimly lit, and water dripped from the ceilings and walls. Great gaping holes were scattered around, and Corita clung to Sora's arm so she wouldn't fall down one of them.  
  
"This way!" Aladdin said, leading them towards a hole.  
  
"Wha wha WHAT?!" Corita cried. "We're not jumping, are we?"  
  
"Of course we are! There are 3 switches we need to turn on to open the way to the treasure chamber where Jafar probably has Jasmine and the Genie." Aladdin said, walking towards the hole and leaping down.  
  
Donald and Goofy followed, and Sora and Corita remained.  
  
"You okay, Corita?" Sora asked, preparing to jump.  
  
"Yeah...it's a silly phobia, anyway." Corita said.  
  
Sora jumped down, and Corita gently slid towards the edge.  
  
"Well, let's go!" Corita said, jumping down.  
  
The darkness around Corita was so extreme, she wondered how she thought the previous room had been dim. Slowly, a room appeared around her, and she hit water.  
  
"Ugh!" Corita said, spashing around a bit.  
  
"It's just water." Donald said.  
  
"Yeah, well, you're a duck. You're used to it." Corita said.  
  
"Here's the first switch!" Aladdin called. He had climbed onto a small rock, and a small monkey was fiddling with the switch.  
  
"He's my monkey, Abu." Aladdin explained. "He likes to turn them on."  
  
Abu turned on the switch, and jumped back onto Aladdin's shoulder. "The next one's in the next room!" He called.  
  
"Wait!" Sora called, looking at something on the ground. "What's this?"  
  
"It looks like a piece of paper to me." Corita commented, looking at it. "Wait...it has the same designs as the pages from Merlin's book!"  
  
"Cool!" Sora said, putting it into his pocket. Meanwhile, Aladdin was running out of the other room.  
  
"The last switch is in here!" He called, running up the stairs. They entered another dimly lit room, and there was a final switch resting there. Abu turned it on, and from the depths of the cave, there was a great rumbling noise.  
  
"Wow, he really likes her, huh? Kinda like you and Kairi!" Corita said to Sora. Sora turned red and followed Aladdin.  
  
"Here it is!" Aladdin said, showing them the giant door that had opened.  
  
"Well, that was fast! How many times have you been here?" Donald asked.  
  
"23." Aladdin said proudly.  
  
"Ah."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The treasure chamber was a brightly lit room with several torches and many platforms. In the center of the room, a tall, evil looking woman was standing, talking to Jafar. Behind him, Jasmine lay, motionless. The Genie floated next to her.  
  
"Wait a second. Are you Malifecent?" Sora asked, remembering Cid's description. The lady turned towards Sora and vanished.  
  
"Jafar, let Jasime go!" Aladdin cried.  
  
"Not a chance." Jafar smirked. "You see, she's a princess. One of several who hold the key to opening the door."  
  
"Open?" Goofy asked.  
  
"The door?" Donald asked.  
  
"Yes." Jafar said. He turned his cold hungry eyes upon Corita. "But you fools won't live to see what lies beyond it!"  
  
~~Sora53: DUN DUN DUN!!  
  
Fans: We could've guessed you were going to do that.  
  
Sora53: THERE'S STILL SUSPENSE! OH, THE SUSPENSE!!~~ 


	19. The mysteries of Riku

~~Sora53: Nice long chapter today! Maybe the longest ever!  
  
Fans: *still watching video of Sora53 sobbing*  
  
Sora53: Okay, It got old!  
  
Fans: Oh, no it hasn't!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I have yet to own Kingdom Hearts. But Corita is still mine. *evil laugh*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Genie!" Jafar's cold voice echoed through the room. "My second wish! Crush them all!" The cried loudly. "Except..." He said softly, "for the girl. She may prove useful after all."  
  
"Me?" Corita asked softly.  
  
"You?" Donald asked.  
  
"Genie, no!" Aladdin cried.  
  
"Sorry, Al." The Genie said glumly. "The one with the lamp calls the shots. I don't have a choice!"  
  
Jafar turned his head, and with his golden staff, created a magical barrier, blocking off all exits.  
  
"Ah!" Donald cried. "No fair!"  
  
"Life's not fair, is it?" Jafar smirked, and he lifted off the ground and floated to the ceiling.  
  
"WATCH OUT!" The Genie cried as he covered his eyes and swung wildly at them. "GET OUT OF THE WAY!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Sora, watch it!" Corita cried as she pushed her brother out of the way of a beam of heat coming from Jafar's staff.  
  
"Whoa, thanks!" He cried, brushing himself off. "Keep moving!"  
  
The Keyblade Master ran off, leaving Corita alone.  
  
"Take this!" Corita said, shooting a blizzard spell at the evil sorcerer. The spell seemed to bounce back at her, and Corita fell to the mercy of the icy spell.  
  
"What the-?" She stammered after the ice had passed.  
  
"Your weakling spells won't work here!" Jafar cried.  
  
"But..." Corita stammered.  
  
"Let me handle him!" Donald cried. "FIRE!"  
  
"Donald, no!" Corita cried, but she was too late. The spell bounced off Jafar again, and came back on its caster. The fire singed Donald's clothes and his tail.  
  
"I tried to warn you..." Corita said as Donald brushed off the ashes. "You're okay, right?"  
  
"Never better." Donald said.  
  
Meanwhile, Sora, Goofy, and Aladdin were having problems of their own defeating Jafar.  
  
"Watch it!" Goofy cried, shoving Aladdin out of the way of a heat beam.  
  
"Thanks, Goofy!" He said, and jumped up to give Jafar a few swipes of his sword.  
  
"SORA! LOOK OUT!" The Genie cried, swiping at him blindly.  
  
Eventually, Jafar looked as if he'd had enough. He floated to the center of the giant room.  
  
"Genie!" He cried. "I want you to make me an all-powerful genie!"  
  
The Genie sighed sadly, and covered his eyes as he shot a beam of power at Jafar. The beam hit Jafar, and a great rumbling filled the room.  
  
"Look out!" Goofy cried, dragging his friends behind a platform as Jafar sank to the ground. Suddenly, a large explosion caused them to cover their eyes, and when they opened them, a giant gaping hole filled the center of the room.  
  
Everyone was silent for a minute. Then, Aladdin broke the silence.  
  
"We should check out Jasmine."  
  
The five friends scurried to the top of the platform where Jasmine lay, and Aladdin ran over to her.  
  
"She's still breathing. I think she was just knocked out." He accounced.  
  
"Good!" Goofy sighed. "Uh, what do you want to do about Jafar?"  
  
Peering off the side of the platform, the team could stare straight down into the hole. The sight was enough to make Corita gasp. Below them, some hundred feet, there were various platforms, but on the side of them was a giant lava pit.  
  
"Don't tell me we're-" Corita started.  
  
"JUMPING!" Aladdin cried, and he lept off the side of the platform into the hole.  
  
Corita gulped and peered down the hole. "Do I...have to?"  
  
"Stay here if you're really scared. We're more than a match for him." Sora said in a comforting voice, and he jumped down. Goofy followed behind him, and only Donald was left.  
  
"If you don't want to go...I mean, magic may be useless on him again..."  
  
"Donald, I appreciate it." Corita said. "But, you have a job to do!" With that, Corita gave him a shove, and she was alone in the treasure chamber.  
  
She sighed. A silly phobia was keeping her from helping her friends. Why was she so scared of it? I mean, there weren't many places you could fall on the Destiny Islands...  
  
She gave another sigh and turned her head to stare at the Keyhole. She walked over to it and stared into the Keyhole. This little keyhole held the fate of this world? It didn't seem to make much sense...  
  
Corita stopped. She stood straight and still as she listened to the empty room. Did she just hear footsteps? No, that was impossible. There was no one here but her and Jasmine.  
  
Suddenly, she felt a hand grip her shoulder. Terrified, she grabbed her staff and spun around and came face to face with...Riku.  
  
"Riku?!" Corita cried. "What the heck are you doing here?!"  
  
"I was about to ask you the same thing." He said, backing away.  
  
"What do you mean?" She asked.  
  
Riku grinned. "I was wondering when I'd see you again."  
  
"You're acting funny." Corita said nervously. Riku took a step towards her, and she lifted her staff, pointing it at his chest.  
  
"What's wrong? I thought we were friends!" Riku said, stepping towards her again.  
  
"There's something different about you." Corita said, gritting her teeth. "And, if you were a good friend, you'd take a step back."  
  
Riku ignored her and took another step forward. Corita didn't waste any time. She blasted a fire spell at Riku, and he was knocked to the ground. Corita ran forward, towards the edge of the platform.  
  
"See ya!" She cried, and, gathering all her courage, lept from the platform towards the battle below.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Corita landed on the platform with a bang, as her fright caused her to blast a fire spell towards Goofy with her staff that was still in her hands. Goofy jumped away just in time.  
  
"Corita?" Donald asked.  
  
"Did you miss me?" She asked, grinning.  
  
A loud rumble from behind them caused them to turn around. There, in the lava, was Genie Jafar. He towered above all of them, red all over except for his cruel eyes. Above him flew his parrot, holding his lamp.  
  
"Well, shall we finish this?" Corita asked.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sora had grabbed the lamp from the parrot, who had been resting on a platform after being shot at with spells. Sora held the lamp high in the air.  
  
"Okay, Jafar! Back to your lamp!" He cried.  
  
Jafar, who had been preparing to chuck another boulder at them, turned his head to look at them. Suddenly, he began to vanish into smoke.  
  
"NO!" Jafar cried as his smoky self was pulled into the lamp like a magnet.  
  
"Yes!" Aladdin cried. "Finally!"  
  
The carpet flew towards them lazily from above, and they all climbed on. The flight to the top of the room was short, but Aladdin lept off early and ran to the platform where Jasmine had lay.  
  
"Jasmine?" He called. "JASMINE! WHERE ARE YOU?! She's gone!"  
  
Behind him, Sora had taken out the Keyblade, and was sealing the Keyhole to Agrabah.  
  
"There! That's done with!" Sora said. As he said this, the ground started to rumble. Giant chunks of the ceiling were falling down on them.  
  
"Gawrsh, we've gotta get out of here!" Goofy said, leading everyone towards the carpet.  
  
"JASMINE!" Aladdin cried one final time as he was dragged onto the carpet.  
  
The ride back out of the Cave of Wonders was no easy trip. Giant pieces of the ceiling fell towards them, and lava waves sometimes came so close they were sure they wouldn't make it. But the carpet pulled through, and they escaped the cave with their skins intact. The carpet flew back towards Aladdin's house, and they landed there to rest up. Aladdin, however, was in shock.  
  
"So, Jasmine's not in Agrabah anymore." Aladdin concluded. "Sora, let's go find her!"  
  
"Sorry, I can't take you with me." Sora said sadly.  
  
"Wha-why not?" Aladdin asked.  
  
"Because, if we took you with us, we would be muddling..." Goofy said.  
  
"Meddling!" Donald corrected.  
  
"Aladdin, we'll find Jasmine for you. I promise." Sora said.  
  
"Uh, earth to Al. Hello? You still have one wish left. Look, just say the word. Ask me to find Jasmine for you!" The Genie said cheerfully.  
  
Aladdin lifted up his head. "I...I wish..." He started. "I wish for your freedom, Genie!"  
  
"AL!" The Genie cried. The golden cuffs around his wrists vanished in a puff of smoke, and his own two legs appeared.  
  
"I promised I'd free him from the lamp after we found Jasmine." Aladdin explained. "Now, you can go anywhere you want, Genie! You're your own master!" Aladdin stopped. "But, if you can, it would be great if you could go along with Sora and help him find Jasmine for me!"  
  
"Hmm." The Genie said. "Sorry, Al. I'm done taking orders from others. But... A favor, now that's entirely different. I guess I could give that a try. After all, we're pals, right, Al?" The Genie asked.  
  
"Genie..." Aladdin said sadly.  
  
"Just leave it to me!" The Genie said happily. He vanished in a puff of blue and pink smoke, and the smoke turned into a flash of light. The light then entered Sora's body.  
  
"And...one more thing..." Aladdin said. He held out a small golden keychain to Sora. "Use this for your Keyblade. It'll make it even stronger!"  
  
"Thanks!" Sora said thankfully, taking the small chain. Sora turned to his friends. "Well, I guess we should be going!"  
  
"Good luck, you guys!" Aladdin called.  
  
"Hurry up!" Corita called. "There's air conditioning in the Gummi Ship!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Corita sat quietly in the Gummi Ship, staring at space go by. She was worried about what had happened in Agrabah between her and Riku. Something was wrong with him. She knew that much. She felt as if she knew what it was, but she couldn't quite put her finger on it...  
  
"Hey, Corita. You okay back there?" Sora asked from the front.  
  
"Huh?" She said, jerking away from the window. "Yeah, I'm fine..."  
  
"Well, we're heading back to Traverse Town via the warp button, so hang on!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Alright, first things first. Let's look at our checklist. Let's see...we were greeted in the usual manner by Leon, we bought new weapons, potions, and ethers...uh oh! We still need to visit Merlin!" Sora cried, looking up from his checklist.  
  
"Alright! You two go there, and we'll get a hotel room." Donald said.  
  
Traverse Town had been quiet ever since the Opposite Armor had been defeated. Every so often, different Heartless would appear, but not many. They arrived at Merlin's Lake shortly, and after being soaked to the bone, they arrived at Merlin's house.  
  
"Welcome, welcome!" Merlin said, gesturing them inside. "I was wondering when you'd show up again!"  
  
"You knew we were coming again?" Sora asked. Merlin nodded.  
  
"Well, what do you need?" Merlin asked. Sora and Corita looked at each other. Corita nodded to Sora, and Sora reached into his pocket.  
  
"Merlin, we found this in Agrabah." He said, pulling out the torn page. "We thought it looked like the pages to your old book, so we picked it up."  
  
Merlin studied it closely. He nodded his head. "Yes, I was wondering when one of these would show up. I'll have Cid add it to the book, and then you can look at it."  
  
"Thanks!" He said, and then he nodded to Corita.  
  
"Well, Merlin..." Corita started.  
  
"New spell?" Merlin asked. Corita stared at him. "Er...yeah."  
  
"I thought so." Merlin said, sitting down. "What spell was it?"  
  
"Well, it was..." Corita stopped. "Sora, how would you describe it?"  
  
"Windy." Sora said simply.  
  
"A barrier of wind?" Merlin asked.  
  
"Yes!" Sora and Corita cried.  
  
"The aero spell. Quite commonly cast among Healers." Merlin said."The wind protects more when it gets stronger, eventually reaching a point where it can even damage an enemy on contact." Merlin stood up. "By the way, you two, I've been doing some research."  
  
"Research? What kind of research?" Corita asked.  
  
"Well, I've come to the conclusion that you two are twins."  
  
"Wow, thanks for the update." Sora said.  
  
"No, I mean that you two are twins. You share the same heart." Merlin said. "So, Sora, if Corita can cast magic, what's keeping you from casting it, too?"  
  
"Well, I don't know how..." Sora said.  
  
"I didn't know how." Corita said.  
  
"Yeah, but me? Cast magic?" Sora said. Merlin nodded.  
  
"Just a thought. With you two's magic in sync with each other, who knows what power you could have?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ah! A bed!" Sora said, falling onto his bed. "Good night!"  
  
"Sora!" Corita said sharply.  
  
"What?"  
  
"First of all, that's my bed, and second of all, you're in here because I need to talk to you!"  
  
"Right...what is it?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Why what?"  
  
"Why did Jafar say I could be of use to him?"  
  
"I don't know. Good night."  
  
"SORA!"  
  
"Uh? Oh! Can we talk tommorow?"  
  
"Fine, but go to your room."  
  
"Uh? Oh, good night!" Sora said, stumbling back to his room, leaving Corita to wonder why she was important, and why Sora was so insane when he was tired.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~Sora53: *grabs the Fan's tape and burns it with a fire spell* MUAHAHA!!  
  
Fans: O_o you can cast magic?  
  
Sora53: Of course not. But, this is my ficcy. By the way, don't you love the...  
  
Fans: Suspense?  
  
Sora53:...no. FORESHADOWING!!~~ 


	20. The Gummi Ship Song and Riku, too!

~~Sora53: I know this chapter is a bit later than what I usually do. And yes, I know It's also shorter than I usually do. Sometimes I just get lazy with everything. Schoolwork, writing, moving...  
  
Fans: Sometimes? Yeah, right!  
  
Sora53: Be quiet! *points to Riku fangirls* Look, there's a bit of Riku in the end of this chapter!  
  
Riku Fangirls: Riku? Where? AH! *tackles chapter*  
  
Sora53: O_o~~  
  
Disclaimer: MUST I TELL YOU AGAIN?!? KINGDOM HEARTS IS NOT MINE! I OWN CORITA BECAUSE I WAS ABLE TO AFFORD A BRAIN FOR INVENTING RANDOM PEOPLE!! MUAHAHA!!  
  
Corita: Random people? *sulks in a corner*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Um, I'm sorry. I must not have heard you." Corita said. "I thought you said you were going to let Sora-"  
  
"STEER THE GUMMI SHIP!" Sora cheered.  
  
"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Corita cried at Goofy and Donald.  
  
"Hey, you've gotta admit, he's got spirit." Donald said.  
  
"Besides, we should at least give him a chance!" Goofy said.  
  
"Alright, but just as long as he doesn't sing the Gummi Ship Song..."  
  
"OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GUMMI SHIP! GUMMI SHIP! GUMMI SHIP! I LOVE THE GUMMI SHIP!" Sora sang.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GUMMI SHIP! GUMMI SHIP! GUMMI SHIP! I LOVE THE GUMMI SHIP!"  
  
"OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GUMMI SHIP! GUMMI SHIP! GUMMI SHIP! I LOVE THE GUMMI SHIP!"  
  
"OH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GUMMI SHIP! GUMMI SHIP! GUMMI SHIP! I LOVE THE GUMMI SHIP!"  
  
Soon, Goofy joined in singing Sora's Gummi Ship Song, much to the displeasure of Donald and Corita.  
  
"ARE YOU EVER SANE?" Corita cried over the chorus.  
  
"Of course! Ooh, the warp button! Hang on everyone, we're warping to Agrabah!" Sora said happily.  
  
"Let's see...according to 'Gummi Ships for Boneheads',' we're entering uncharted terriorty!" Goofy said happily,  
  
flipping through the book.  
  
"That's never good..." Corita commented.  
  
"Oh, we'll be fine! Captain Sora's on the case!" Sora cheered.  
  
The trip remained uneventful except for Sora's Gummi Ship Song being sung 127 times (Corita counted.)  
  
"We should be arriving at world soon." Donald groaned up in the cockpit next to Sora.  
  
"Wait a second." Sora said, stopping the Gummi Ship Song. "What is that thing up ahead?"  
  
Everyone got up and peered out the windshield. A large grey mass was floating there.  
  
"It looks like another world." Donald groaned from under the pillows he'd jammed to his ears to stop the Gummi Ship Song.  
  
"No, It can't be. It's moving towards us!" Corita said. Donald immediately jumped up and looked out the window.  
  
"You're right!" He cried.  
  
"It's Monstro!" Jiminy cried, now perched on Corita's shoulder. "He's a whale of a whale, and vicious besides!"  
  
"Whoa!" Goofy cried as the whale grew closer and started to open its mighty mouth. "Sora, get us out of here!"  
  
Sora grabbed the wheel and tried to turn it, but he was too late.  
  
"Too late! He's going to swallow us!" Sora cried. "Hang on, everybody!"  
  
The ship rumbled and lurched forward as the mighty whale closed its mouth on the gummi ship.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Mmmmuuh?" Corita groaned, waking up. "Uhh...where am I?"  
  
Rubbing her head, Corita shakily got to her feet and looked around. It looked as if they were still in the whale's mouth. Water flooded almost every area except for where she stood and a small ship that had managed to keep itself together.  
  
"Where is everyone?" Corita wondered, still rubbing her head.  
  
"Over here!" Goofy called. Corita turned and saw Donald and Goofy standing underneath a tall pile of wood.  
  
"Hey, are you okay, Corita?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Yeah...what happened?" She asked.  
  
"Hey, ya know, I think that ol' whale Monstro just swallowed us!" Goofy said.  
  
"Where's Sora?" Corita asked, looking for her brother.  
  
"He's over there, sleeping." Goofy said, pointing about 10 feet from where they stood."  
  
"He's still breathing, anyway. We think he must've gotten hit pretty bad in the head with a piece of wood or something." Donald said.  
  
"It'd take more than a piece of wood to do Sora in." Corita said, walking over to him. She could heard Donald cough behind her, "Yeah right!"  
  
"Bad cold, Donald?" Corita asked sweetly.  
  
"Um, yes!" He said. Corita sighed and turned towards Sora.  
  
"Hey, Sora." Corita whispered, shaking him. "Wake up!"  
  
"Mmmmmmuh?" Sora asked.  
  
"Good, you're awake!" She said, satisfied.  
  
"Hey, what's going on?" Sora asked, rubbing his head.  
  
"That ol' whale Monstro must've just swallowed us!" Goofy said again. "And, for today's weather, expect showers!"  
  
Suddenly, out of the sky came a small item box, the kind that held potions and ethers.  
  
"Heavy showers!" Goofy said as it hit his shield, which he was using to guard himself with.  
  
"Hey, who's there?!" Donald cried.  
  
"It's me!" said a small voice.  
  
"Oh, it's just Pinocchio." Donald said. "Pinocchio?!"  
  
"Pinocch? Where are you going?" Jiminy asked, jumping onto Sora's shoulder.  
  
Meanwhile, Pinocchio, who had been digging through a treasure chest, had obviously found what he was looking for, and was walking away.  
  
"Pinocch? Hey, everybody, after him, quick!" Jiminy cried.  
  
Following the cricket's orders, the team lept into the icy waters to follow Pinocchio back to the ship. The water was deep, and it took a minute or two for them to reach the ship. On the deck, Pinocchio and an older man were standing there, talking to each other.  
  
"What have you got there, Pinocchio?" The man asked the puppet.  
  
"With this, we can get out of here, Father!" Pinocchio said happily.  
  
"Really? With this big block? You think so?" He asked, looking at what was unmiskatably a large green gummi block.  
  
"It's true!" Sora said, climbing onto the ship.  
  
"Oh, my!" The man cried. "The whale swallowed all of you, two? My goodness!" He chortled.  
  
"Yeah, looks like it." Donald said, looking around with a look of disgust on his face.  
  
"My name is Geppetto. I'm Pinocchio's father." He explained. "You seem to know Pinocchio quite well. I hope he was a good boy in my absence." Geppetto said, carrying the gummi block to the side of a small cot.  
  
"We've all had quite a journey, but it's good to be back together again, right Pinocchio?" Geppetto asked, turning towards where the puppet boy had stood moments before. "Pinocchio? Oh, where did he go?" Geppetto wondered.  
  
"We'll find him." Corita said, running to the end of the ship and leaping into the water.  
  
"Corita, are you crazy?" Donald asked, following her as she ran towards the entrance to the whale's insides.  
  
"I may be." Corita said as she waited for Goofy and Sora to catch up.  
  
They entered the small hole that Pinocchio may have gone into, and they entered a small chamber where the puppet boy stood.  
  
"Pinocchio?" Goofy asked.  
  
"C'mon, what are you doing?" Sora asked. "Let's go back."  
  
"Geppetto's awfully worried about you." Corita added.  
  
The boy didn't respond. He didn't even move. He continued to stand there with a silly grin on his face.  
  
"Pinocchio, stop kidding around! This is no time for games!" Sora said, and he turned to re-enter the mouth area of the whale. The other's followed his lead, until a familiar voice rang into the air.  
  
"But Sora! I thought you liked games! Or are you too cool to play them now that you have the Keyblade?"  
  
Turning their heads, Sora and Corita saw their old silver-haired friend holding Pinocchio's small wooden hand.  
  
"Riku! What are you doing here?" Sora asked.  
  
"Just playing with Pinocchio." He answered simply.  
  
"You know what I mean! What about Kairi? Did you find her?" Sora asked hopefully.  
  
"Maybe. Catch us, and maybe I'll tell you what I know." Riku said.  
  
"C'mon!" Sora cried as Riku dragged Pinocchio away, deeper into the whale's depths.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ugh! Entering a whale's intestines, fighting Heartless after Heartless..." Donald groaned.  
  
"Stop complaining! We're doing it for the King!" Goofy said.  
  
"I know..." Donald said.  
  
"Which way did he go?" Sora asked.  
  
"Maybe this way?" No, never mind, that's where we came from..." Corita said.  
  
"This place is just a giant maze!" Donald said.  
  
"We have to keep going!" Sora said.  
  
"This way! We haven't been here before!" Corita called from up ahead.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Why do you still care about that boy?" Maleficent asked Riku. "He's all but deserted you for the Keyblade and his new companions, after all."  
  
"I don't care about him." Riku said quickly. "I was just messing with him a little.  
  
"Oh, really? Of course you were." Maleficent said, slightly amused.  
  
"Beware the darkness in your heart. The Heartless prey upon it." she said with a more serious tune.  
  
"Mind your own business!" Riku called as she vanished in a flash of darkness.  
  
Riku turned around quickly. Somewhere, close by, familiar voices were ringing.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Here's somewhere else!" Corita called back."Wait, never mind..."  
  
"Here's a new place!" Goofy called.  
  
"Great!" Sora and Corita said, running forward into the new area.  
  
"Hey, wait up!" Donald and Goofy cried, following them.  
  
Corita and Sora skidded to a halt on the slippery floor of the whale's intestines. In front of them, Riku stood, watching Pinocchio run ahead of him.  
  
"Riku! What's the matter with you?" Corita asked.  
  
"Don't you realize what you're doing?" Sora cried.  
  
"I was about to ask you the same thing, Sora." Riku said. "It seems like all you're interested in is running around and showing off that Keyblade these days." He said, gesturing towards the weapon in Sora's hands. Even though it was dim inside the whale, the Keyblade still shown brightly.  
  
"Do you even want to save Kairi?" He asked.  
  
"I...do." Sora said quietly.  
  
The conversation could've continued for hours, and it would have. The only problem was that Pinocchio's scream pierced the stale air inside the whale.  
  
"C'mon!" Sora cried, running towards the area where Pinocchio had vanished to.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~Sora53: *runs from rabid Riku fangirls*  
  
Riku Fangirls: *chases Sora53* THAT'S ALL THE RIKU WE GET?!?!  
  
Sora53: Why are you so obsessed with the evil silver-haired freak?  
  
Riku Fangirls: *loud scream* EVIL? FREAK? YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!!  
  
Fans: *sits on the sidelines eating popcorn* Don't forget silver-haired!  
  
Sora53: SHUT UP!~~ 


	21. Magic fights and knee bending

~~Sora53: This chaper is slightly shorter. But, there is Riku!  
  
Riku Fangirls: RIKU!!!! *runs after chaper*  
  
Chapter: AH! *runs from Riku Fangirls*  
  
Sora53: *chases Riku Fangirls who are chasing the chapter* If you chase the chaper away, you can't read it!  
  
Fans: *wild cheers*~~  
  
Disclaimer. For the 21st time, I DON'T OWN KINGDOM HEARTS! I OWN CORITA AND THIS LOLLIPOP! *eats the lollipop* Mmm...grape! *hands out grape lollipops*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Look out!" Sora cried, holding out his arms so Goofy and Donald, who had been trying to keep up with him and Corita, wouldn't fall. They had entered a large cavern area, and they were standing on top of a ledge. Below them, a giant monster sat. It was large and was purple and blue, and in its mouth, it held Pinocchio. On its head was the Heartless symbol. Pinocchio, imprisioned in this uncomfortable condition, was crying out for help.  
  
"You up for this?" Riku asked, standing next to Sora.  
  
"No problem. Let's do it!" Sora said, holding the Keyblade, ready to fight.  
  
Riku turned away and lept off the edge of the ledge. Sora followed behind him, causing Donald and Goofy to fall over.  
  
"Honestly, do you two ever pay attention?" Corita asked, pulling them up.  
  
"Of course we do!" Donald said, dusting himself off. Goofy lept off the ledge to join in the fight.  
  
"Hurry up, we've got to save Pinocchio!" Jiminy cried from on top of Donald's head.  
  
"What the....how did you get there?" Donald asked the cricket.  
  
Jiminy shrugged. "I just follow you guys. You think I can move as fast as you can? I take rides in your pockets."  
  
"That's kinda creepy." Corita said. "Anyway..." she said slowly, turning towards the battle.  
  
"BLAST IT WITH FIRE!" Goofy called, narrowly missing being hit by one of the creature's tentacles.  
  
"Okay!" Corita said, blasting a weak fire spell at the creature's head. The spell dazed the monster slightly, allowing Sora and Riku to give it a few good hits, but it recovered quickly.  
  
"THAT was what you call a fire spell?!" Donald asked. "Watch and learn!"  
  
Donald mustered up all his power, and sent a much larger fireball hurling at the monster's head.  
  
"Oh yeah?" Corita growled. "Watch this!" Mustering up all her power (and mentally reviewing what the instruction manual had told her) She sent several powerful forks of lightning hurling down at the monster.  
  
"I can do better than that!" Donald quacked, casting a thunder spell himself. The weak forked lightning shot in random directions. About 3 bolts hit the Heartless, one narrowly missed Sora, and one actually hit Riku's raised sword. The weak lighting didn't hurt him, simply gave him a jolt. The silver-haired teenager turned towards the two mages.  
  
"Alright, who cast that?" He growled. Corita and Donald both pointed at the one standing next to them. Riku sighed and kept fighting.  
  
"Here, Riku!" Corita called as she cast a cure spell on him. "I hope DONALD'S THUNDER SPELL-" She stopped at this point to shove Donald with her elbow- "Didn't hurt you too much!"  
  
The Healer turned towards Donald. "So, can you cast a cure spell?"  
  
"I'm sure I could!" Donald said.  
  
"Be my guest!" Corita said, gesturing towards Goofy, Sora and Riku.  
  
"Give me a minute to...mentally prepare!" Donald grumbled, turning his back to her.  
  
At this point, Donald was saved from being terribly embarrased, because the Heartless parasite had hoisted itself into the air, and had thrown the puppet boy down a giant hole. Riku instantly jumped in the hole after him.  
  
"Let's go!" Sora called, leaping into the hole. Goofy and Donald followed, while Corita jumped off the ledge and peered into the hole.  
  
"Well, I've always been safer when I've jumped before......" Corita thought, and lept down the dark hole.  
  
The fall was short, and Corita felt herself land on something soft. The thing groaned.  
  
"Oh! Sorry, guys." Corita said, quickly pulling herself off her friends. Goofy, Donald and Sora untangled themselves and stood up.  
  
"Where's Riku?" Sora asked.  
  
Behind them, a familiar voice was crying out.  
  
"Pinocchio? Pinocchio!" Geppetto was calling. "Please, give me back my son!"  
  
Turning around, the team saw that Geppetto was standing on the edge of the tiny boat. Before him, standing on the various wood and planks, was Riku, holding an unconsious Pinocchio in his arms.  
  
"Sorry, old man. I've got some unfinished business with this puppet." Riku said  
  
"Pinocchio is no puppet! He's my little boy!" Geppetto cried.  
  
"He is unusual." Riku remarked. "Not many puppets have hearts. I'm not sure, but maybe he can help someone who's lost theirs.  
  
An unusual silence hung in the air for a moment while Sora and Corita came to understand what their former friend was saying.  
  
"Wait a minute..." Corita said slowly.  
  
"Are you talking about Kairi?" Sora finished.  
  
"What do you care about her?" Riku asked coldly, staring at them with evil eyes. Then, he simply turned and walked away.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Oh, Pinocchio..." Geppetto cried. Corita and Goofy had managed to get him onto his small bed, and were comforting him.  
  
"He'll be fine. We're going after him!" Corita said, comforting the poor man.  
  
"I know...I trust you all." Geppetto said. He held up a small booklet. "Here, use this and find my son!" He said.  
  
Sora took the small booklet and thumbed through it. "Hey...it's another one of those instruction manuals!"  
  
"What's it for?" Donald asked, standing on his tiptoes to try to see the booklet.  
  
"High Jump - jump high!" Sora said. "Interesting title..."  
  
"Let me see it!" Corita said, snatching the booklet from Sora's gloved hands. "Hey, Corita..."  
  
"Alright! This is easy enough! We just have to push off the ground harder, DON'T FORGET TO BEND YOUR KNEES!, do a turn spin thingy in the air WHILE BENDING OUR KNEES!, and it'll help us jump higher!"  
  
"Well, that's easy." Donald said. "All we do is jump normally, but BEND OUR KNEES!"  
  
"Thanks, Geppetto!" Sora said, turning towards the clock maker.  
  
"No problem." Geppetto said happily. "Glad I could be of some assistance to you."  
  
"Time to find Pinocchio!" Goofy said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~Sora53: *is still handing out grape lollipops* DON'T FORGET TO BEND YOUR KNEES!  
  
One Riku Fangirl: Eeww...grape? I hate grape!  
  
Sora53: *shifty eyes* Riku loves grape!  
  
All Riku Fangirls: *runs out to the store and each buys 4232 grape lollipops*~~  
  
NOTE: I do not mean to insult any Riku Fangirls who are not insane. If you are a sane Riku Fangirl, I would like to meet you. I have yet to meet one in my life. 


	22. Princesses of Heart

~~Sora53: *evil laugh* Guess who's in this chapter?"  
  
Riku Fangirls: Riku?  
  
Sora53: Maybe... *counts* I think there's about 36 sentances devoted completly to the evil silver-haired freak!  
  
Riku Fangirls: *melts*  
  
Fans: Hey, Sora53!! Look what we have! *holds up Sora Plushie*  
  
Sora53: *blushes* THAT'S MINE! GIVE IT BACK, YOU EVIL, EVIL FANS!  
  
Fans: Run away, laughing manically*~~  
  
Disclaimer: I still own no part of Kingdom Hearts. *glares at the evil lawyers* BUT I OWN CORITA!!! Corita: *feels special* I'm loved!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"He went that way!" Sora said, pulling himself up onto the topmost pile of wooden planks. "Hurry up, you guys!  
  
"Wait for me!" Donald cried, stumbling along the farthest pile of wood. "It's hard to bend your knees when there isn't much to bend!"  
  
"You could just say 'I'm short!' and be done with it." Corita said simply. Donald mumbled something behind them, but Corita couldn't understand it.  
  
"I guess he went through here." Sora said, gesturing to a large 'doorway' on top of a platform.  
  
"I guess, considering there isn't another door to go into." Goofy said, looking around.  
  
The next area was full of platforms reaching up to the ceiling, and the ceiling seemed to be pulling at them. Sora and Corita's wild brown hair flew around wildly in the wind, while Donald's feathers seemed to all be yanked upward.  
  
"You look like a giant marshmallow." Goofy observed.  
  
"I guess we need to go up." Sora said, looking towards the top of the area.  
  
"I guess so." Corita said, hopping onto the first platform. As if on cue, several Heartless appeared the instant she landed.  
  
"How do they do that?" Corita asked.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The Heartless defeated, the group continued up the platforms. The pull of the winds finally became too much, and they were all pulled upwards by the powerful winds. The winds lifted them through the air, and they flew upwards towards a hole in the ceiling.  
  
They landed with a thump onto the floor of another area. They area appeared to be the stomach of the great whale. There was bright yellow acid flooding the floors, and many platforms attached to the walls. In front of them, Riku stood with his back to them, facing what appeared to be an unconsious Pinocchio.  
  
"Hey! Let Pinocchio go, Riku!" Corita called out.  
  
Riku didn't turn around. He kept his eyes on the puppet boy.  
  
"A puppet that's lost its heart to the Heartless...maybe it holds the key to helping Kairi!" Riku said slowly, turning towards them. "How about it, you two? Let's join forces to save Kairi. We can do it together."  
  
Riku took a step forward towards them, but in two flashes, Sora's Keyblade and Corita's staff were ready to battle.  
  
"What?" Riku said in disbelief. "You'd rather fight me? Over a puppet that has no heart?"  
  
"Heart or no heart, at least he has a conscience." Sora said softly.  
  
It was true. At this very time, Jiminy had popped his head out of one of Corita's pockets. He looked wildly around, and gasped as he saw Pinocchio. Corita picked him up and gently put him on the ground.  
  
"Conscience?" Riku said.  
  
"You might not hear it, but right now it's loud and clear. And it's telling me you're on the wrong side!" Sora cried.  
  
"Then you leave me no choice." Riku said angrily. Meanwhile, Jiminy was running aross the floor to Pinocchio.  
  
"Pinocchio! Pinocchio!" The cricket cried.  
  
"Jiminy...I'm not gonna make it..." Pinocchio said softly as Jiminy reached Pinocchio's side.  
  
Suddenly, in a bright flash of light, Pinocchio's nose grew several inches just as it had when he lied to his conscience in the Accessory Shop in Traverse Town.  
  
"Oh!" Pinocchio said happily. "I guess I'm okay!"  
  
Jiminy was jumping up and down in happiness. Turning their heads away from the puppet and cricket, Riku and the others faced each other, prepared to fight, when suddenly the Parasite Cage that had held Pinocchio prisioner fell from the ceiling, inches from Riku. Pinocchio and Jiminy quickly ran away from the monster, and escaped down the same hole that they had come up. Readying themselves for battle, it took a minute for Sora to realize something.  
  
"Where's Riku?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The fight seemed to last no time, as the Heartless was already weakened from the previous fight. This time, instead of disappearing into the ceiling, the cage collapsed to the ground, and its stolen heart vanished into the sky. After the Heartless was defeated, however...  
  
"Run!" Donald cried as the whale's insides began to rumble.  
  
"Riku? Riku, where are you?" Sora cried as Corita and Goofy dragged him away.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The pirate ship rocked and groaned under the weight of its occupants. The old wooden ship was getting to be very worn down.  
  
"I'll have to have that fixed later." Riku made a mental note. As soon as he gained more power, it would be the pirate's who would be listening to him. He made his way down the old hallway, closly observing for sounds of creeping Heartless. Heartless down below deck were known to attack everyone they met. Riku found the door he was looking for and pushed it open. With a groan, the door opened. "These doors need oiling, too." Riku said to himself. Bet he had more important matters to deal with than a poorly oiled door.  
  
Turning his head towards the couch, Riku looked sadly upon the sight of his friend. Once hyper and friendly, Kairi now lay on the couch, as if sleeping. Riku heard footsteps behind him. Familiar footsteps.  
  
"So, Kairi's like a lifeless puppet now?" Riku asked sadly.  
  
"Precisly." Maleficent said with a cold, cruel voice.  
  
"And her heart was-" Riku began slowly, but couldn't bear to finish.  
  
"Taken by the Heartless, no doubt."  
  
Riku had known this, of course. He had known it deep inside, but he couldn't bring himself to realize it. Now the truth was facing him, and he had to accept it.  
  
"Tell me! What can I do?" Riku asked, whirling around to face Maleficent.  
  
"There are at least seven maidens of the purest heart. We call them the Princesses of Heart. Gather them together, and a door will open to the heart of all worlds. Within lies untold wisdom. There you will surely find a way to recover Kairi's heart." Maleficent said.  
  
"At least seven?" Riku asked curiously.  
  
"Yes. According to our research, there are at least seven Princesses of Heart. Of course, there is always the chance of another..." Meleficent said with a sly grin.  
  
"What do you mean?" Riku asked.  
  
"As we speak, we are seeking out those who are believed to be Princesses of Heart. I believe we had 5 last time I checked. Now, there is one girl we are keeping an eye on..."  
  
"Wait...are you talking about Corita?" Riku asked.  
  
"Indeed. Of course, there is no way to tell this at the time. We have not yet managed to capture her. Although, even if we did, we don't need the Key Bearer and his followers stalking us to Hollow Bastion just yet." Malificent said.  
  
"I see..." Riku said.  
  
" Now, I'll grant you a marvelous gift. The power to control the Heartless." Maleficent said, raising her arms. A bright green aura appeared around Riku, entering his body. A new power seemed to flow into him, and he turned to face Kairi.  
  
"Soon, Kairi. Soon."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey Goofy."  
  
"Hey Goofy."  
  
"Hey Goofy."  
  
"What is it?" Goofy asked with a slight pinch of annoyance in his voice. "I'm trying to make sure Monstro doesn't catch up to us again!"  
  
"Oh, he won't be feeling up to it, Goofy." Corita said, leaning back in her chair, re-reading 'High Jump - jump high!' "After a burp like that, he won't be munching on Gummi Ships for a week...  
  
"You've gotta be careful about ol' Monstro." Jiminy said. "You never know with him, he's downright grumpy."  
  
"Sorry. I didn't mean to annoy you, Goofy." Sora said sadly, sitting back in his chair. "Hey, when do I get to drive the Gummi Ship again?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~Sora53: *sits in corner hugging Sora Plushie* Meep.  
  
Fans: See, Riku Fangirls? There's always a way to calm a wild animal.  
  
Riku Fangirls: Ooh...*takes notes*  
  
Sora53: MY SORA PLUSHIE! GET AWAY! *throws grape lollipops at them*  
  
Riku Fangirls: GRAPE! RIKU'S FAVORITE! *runs to eat the lollipops*  
  
Fans: O_O'~~ 


	23. Transformation

~~Sora53: Yes, we've made it all the way to Atlantica!! WHOO!!  
  
Fans: You're crazy!  
  
Riku Fangirls: No more Riku? *sob*  
  
Sora53: You'll see him again in a few chapters! If you want to see him faster, review more! Reviews make me write lots!!  
  
Riku Fangirls: Whoo!! *run to review page*~~  
  
Disclaimer: I own Corita. Nothing else. WAHAHA!! *ahem*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Sora, wake up. HEY! SORA!!" Corita said, poking Sora in the head.  
  
"Ow! What do you want?" Sora asked grumpily, sitting up.  
  
"We're almost to the next world! You can see it in the distance!" Goofy said, pointing ahead.  
  
"Oh...well, thanks for getting me up, then." Sora said, yawning.  
  
"No problem. Good thing you're a light sleeper." Corita said.  
  
The Gummi Ship moved along at a steady pace, closing in on the latest world. Peering through the windshield were 3 confused people.  
  
"Um...that's an ocean." Goofy said.  
  
"Yeah! Let's land!" Donald said merrily.  
  
"Are you crazy? If we land in the sea, we'll drown!" Sora cried.  
  
"Not with my magic, we won't!" Donald said cheerfully, putting the Gummi Ship in hover mode and getting out of his seat.  
  
"What exactly are you going to do?" Corita asked suspiciously.  
  
"You'll see. Don't you trust me?" Donald asked.  
  
"Only as far as I can throw you." Corita said truthfully. Donald opened his mouth as if to say something, but closed it quickly after seeing Sora and Goofy's glares.  
  
"Alright. Let's just land." Donald said. "Now, keep in mind, I'm not the best at transformations yet, so don't complain to me if you're kind of weird looking."  
  
"T-transformations?" Corita asked nervously. "I better not have more legs than I do now!"  
  
"Whatever, as long as we don't drown." Sora said, shrugging.  
  
"Alright, I'm going to do this in a basic charm method. Plainly speaking, as soon as you hit the water, you'll transform." Donald said, taking out his staff. "That is, if I don't mess up. If I do, we're likely to all become goldfish instantly and die."  
  
"Then you'd better do it correctly." Corita mumbled.  
  
Donald muttered something as he tapped his staff on the top of each of their heads. An odd, prickling sensation spread through their bodies, and it went away within a few seconds.  
  
"Okay, let's go!" Donald said, slipping his staff away and piloting the Gummi Ship towards the vast ocean.  
  
We're teleporting in this time. If we try to land this ship in the ocean, it'll short-circut and we'll be stuck."  
  
"This seems really risky." Goofy said.  
  
"No worries!" Donald said as he pressed the "teleport" button.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Corita felt as if she'd been pulled through a cheese grater a few times. Her whole body ached, and she was still being pulled forward via the teleportation device. Suddenly, everything came to an abrupt stop, and bubbles erupted all around her. The cool ocean water pressed against her skin. Opening her eyes, she found it was extremely easy to see through the sea. Daring to breath, she took a breath through her nose. Unbelievably, it was like breathing air. Looking down, she gasped at the form she'd taken.  
  
"Donald..." Corita groaned.  
  
"Well, you said you didn't want more legs than you did before." Donald's voice said. Turning her head, Corita saw a half-Donald, half-squid swimming towards her, with bright blue tentacles. "Look at what I'm stuck with!"  
  
"It's better than me!" Goofy said, swimming towards them. Apparantly, Goofy had been transformed into a giant turtle.  
  
"You look very sweet, Goofy." Corita said gently.  
  
"Hey, look at me!" Sora said behind them. Turning, Corita spotted her brother, half Sora, half..."  
  
"What exactly are you?" Corita asked. "Half dolphin or half shark?"****  
  
"I dunno. What are YOU supposed to be?" Sora asked, stifling a laugh.  
  
"A seahorse, silly!" Donald said.  
  
It was true. Corita's top half seemed to still be in a human form, but her bottom half was shaped into what appeared to be a seahorse.  
  
"No legs!" Donald said cheerfully.  
  
Grumbling, Corita swam over to Sora. Suprisingly, it was very easy to move underwater without any legs.  
  
"Well, Donald, I have to give you credit. At least we aren't on the Gummi Ship as goldfish." Sora said.  
  
"Finally, I'm appreciated." Donald said regally.  
  
"Wait...what was that?" Goofy asked. "Shh!"  
  
Everyone went quiet. It was true, there were voices nearby.  
  
"Ariel! Wait! Don't leave me behind!" A voice said.  
  
"Hurry up then, Sebastian!" Said a different voice.  
  
Appearing before them swam a young mermaid. She looked as if she was slightly tired, as if she had swam a long way in a short time. Behind her was a small yellow and blue fish, and then, strugging far back was a little red crab.  
  
"Yikes!" The fish exclaimed as he swam behind the mermaid. The mermaid finally spotted them, and turned to examine them more closly.  
  
"Relax, Flounder. They don't look like one of them." She said to the fish.  
  
"I don't know..." He said quietly. "There's something...different about them..."  
  
"Heheh...what do you mean?" Sora asked nervously.  
  
"Hmm...now that you mention it...they do seem a bit different." She said, swimming around them. "Where are you from?"  
  
"We're from an ocean very far from here..." Sora said slowly. "And we're not really used to these waters..." He finished.  
  
"Oh, I see. I thought you looked a bit different." She said. "Hey, we can help show you around!" She added hopefully.  
  
"Ariel!" The crab said, who had finally caught up to them. "King Triton will not like this!" He cried.  
  
"Oh, relax, Sebastian. They look fine. Besides, I'm not a child anymore!" She said firmly.  
  
"Yes, yes...I know, and I trust you, but-"  
  
"Sebastion!" Ariel cried, pointing away from them. Behind them drifted several transparant jellyfish creatures, swimming eerily through the ocean. They, too, had the Heartless symbol on their bodies.  
  
"Watch out!" Sebastian cried as he and Flounder swam for saftey inside a large clam. Ariel swam to a small indentation in the ocean walls.  
  
"We can take them!" Sora said, swimming towards them in a wobbily sort of manner. Goofy followed him in the same way, but much slower.  
  
"Poor them. They have to move." Donald sighed, taking out his staff and blasting an ice spell through the water. It didn't work quite normally, but it did pelt the Heartless with icy cold water and wet ice.  
  
"Better be careful underwater with spells." Corita said, who had been preparing to cast a thunder spell, but quickly thought otherwise.  
  
After the Heartless had been disposed of, Ariel, Flounder, and Sebastian came out of their hiding places.  
  
"Thanks!" Ariel said. "Those foul creatures chased us here."  
  
"Ariel, there may be more headed towards the castle!" Sebastian cried, swimming away.  
  
"You're right! We should go!" Ariel said. "I'm sorry, but can you come with us to the castle? It's not far."  
  
"No problem." Sora said as he followed the mermaid. Behind them, Donald and Corita were struggling to figure out how to move more than a few feet at a time.  
  
"Problem!" Corita called after them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Eventually, all of them had gotten used to swimming through the sea. Not perfect, of course, but good enough to be able to keep up with each other. Ariel was slightly confused.  
  
"Was your old ocean very small? You seem like you've never swam very far in your life!" She said, giggling.  
  
"Yes, it was tiny." Corita said firmly, struggling to get used to swimming with a long tail.  
  
After inching along for a while, they reached the castle that Ariel had been telling them about.  
  
"You live here?" Goofy asked in awe as they approached the gates.  
  
"Yep!" Ariel said proudly.  
  
"Um...people...let's go!" Corita said as several large Heartless jellyfish materialized out of thin air and started chasing them. They didn't have to swim far before they reached the throne room. Sitting on a large, elegantly shaped throne was a large, fierce looking merman.  
  
"That was close!" He cried after zapping the Heartless that had chased them with a large weapon.  
  
"As long as I have my Trident, I will never allow those creatures into my palace!" He bellowed.  
  
"Daddy?" Ariel asked.  
  
"Oh, Ariel!" He said in a dissaproving voice. "What were you doing? It's dangerous out there! When will you listen?"  
  
"I'm fine, Daddy!" Ariel said.  
  
The King turned his head and stared at the group behind Ariel.  
  
"Who are they?" asked King Triton.  
  
"They helped me fight off those creatures!" Ariel said happily!  
  
"They don't look familiar." Triton said truthfully.  
  
"We're from an ocean very far away." Sora repeated.  
  
"Yep!" Goofy said. "We came here to find the Keyhole!" He said, swimming lazily around them.  
  
"The what?!" He bellowed.  
  
"What's that?" Ariel asked curiously.  
  
"Well, it's a-"  
  
"There's no such thing! Certainly not here!" He said.  
  
"Bu Daddy-"  
  
"Ariel, please!" Triton said.  
  
Ariel glared at her father, and then swam off, followed by her new friends.  
  
~~Sora53: How does Sora's hair stay the way it is underwater?  
  
Fans: I dunno? Does that mean Corita's hair stays the same too?  
  
Sora53: I guess it's just a great mystery of the world.~~  
  
****I never was able to tell. You decide for yourself. 


	24. The Crystal Trident

**Sora53: Sorry about the long unbearable wait! I was kinda busy...  
  
Fans: You had writers block.  
  
Sora53: I did not!  
  
Fans: Yes you did.  
  
Sora53: .....~~  
  
Disclaimer: I still, and will forever, only own Corita! MUAHAHAHA!! *gives Corita a cookie*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The cool ocean currents caused Corita's brown hair to swirl around her head. Pulling it back, she fought with it for a minute, and eventually managed to tie it back with a bit of string. In front of her, Sora's spikey brown hair also drifted a bit, but generally stayed still.  
  
"Uh, Sora?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"How do you keep your hair like that?" Corita asked, brushing away a loose bit of her own hair. Sora shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"I dunno. Funny genetics or something."  
  
"Hurry up, you two!" Ariel called from up ahead. "I want to show you something!"  
  
"Great, more swimming." Donald groaned from a few feet ahead.  
  
"Donald, you're a duck. You're supposed to swim." Corita said.  
  
"Not underwater with 8 legs!" Donald groaned, struggling to move forward.  
  
"It's not that hard, Donald! Just push forward!" Goofy called from Ariel's side.  
  
"Yeah, yeah..." Donald groaned as Sora and Corita helped him forward.  
  
"Everyone here?" Ariel asked, looking around. "Good!"  
  
She turned around and swam towards a giant boulder and started pushing it.  
  
"Umm...Ariel? You okay?" Goofy asked as he watched her shove the boulder aside, revealing an opening in the wall.  
  
"No, this is my secret place. Come inside!" She said, swimming into the hole. Upon entering, they found themselves inside a large cavern, with large jagged walls that seemed to serve as shelves. Piled upon them lay dozens of simple things, such as an egg beater and a music box.  
  
"Look at all the wonderful things Flounder and I've collected!" Ariel said with a touch of pride. "I think it's all from the outside world. Someday, I'm going to see what's out there. I want to see other worlds. Does that sound strange?" She asked.  
  
"No! Not at all!" Sora said.  
  
Yeah, we used to feel the same way!" Corita said.  
  
"Used to?" Ariel asked curiously.  
  
"I mean...um...we still do!" Sora said quickly.  
  
"Hey, do you want to see some more of my ocean?" Ariel asked.  
  
"Sure!" Sora and Corita said, while Donald grumbled near the wall.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"This is the sunken ship." Ariel said, swimming towards it.  
  
"Wow!" They gasped, even Donald. The ship was old and giant. Fallen planks lay on the sea floor or hung onto the sides of the ship. Small sea creatures swam around it while starfish held tightly to the old masts. Scattered on the ground were old rescue boats or rusty anchors.  
  
"How long has this been here?" Sora asked, swimming towards the great wreck.  
  
"As long as I can remember..." Ariel said.  
  
"Let's go exploring!" Goofy said cheerfully, swimming inside of the ship.  
  
"Goofy, get back here!" Donald cried, swimming towards him.  
  
Inside of the ship was just as destroyed as the outside. The old windows had been destroyed and large barrels filled with water had been emptied of their contents long ago.  
  
"Look, a treasure chest!" Sora said, swimming towards the small chest.  
  
"Be careful!" Corita cried, but Sora ignored her.  
  
"SORA!!! GET OUT OF THERE! SHARK!!!"  
  
"Huh?" Sora asked.  
  
"SHARK!!!!"  
  
"Shark?!"  
  
Sora moved at the last possible instant. Suddenly, a giant shark came swimming forward out of the shadows and snapped his mighty jaws where Sora had been instants before. Luckily, the beast couldn't fit through the window opening, so it simply swam away.  
  
"That was close!" Sora said, breathing hard.  
  
"Next time, LISTEN!" Corita cried into Sora's ear.  
  
"Ouch! Oh, no problem. Hey, what was in that treasure chest?"  
  
"This!" Ariel said, holding up their prize for nearly having Sora bitten in two. It was a beautiful crystal trident, like the one King Triton had, except smaller and made of beautiful blue crystals.  
  
"Wow!" Sora said, taking the delicate trident.  
  
"Yeah! I wonder why I'd never found this before?" Ariel wondered. "Hey! I know where to put this!"  
  
"Your collection?" Donald asked.  
  
"No! Better! Follow me back to my grotto!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Can we...take a...rest...now?" Donald gasped.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, rest your legs, Duck Boy." Corita muttered.  
  
"Ariel, what are you doing?" Sora asked.  
  
"Look at this!" Ariel said/ She was pointing to a small indent in the wall, imprinted with the same shape of the crystal trident.  
  
"That's convenient!" Goofy chortled. "Put it in!"  
  
Sora lifted the fragile crystal trident and placed it in the indent in the wall. Everything was silent for a moment, before...  
  
"Ariel, you've disobeyed me again!" Said a deep, booming voice. King Triton had entered the small grotto, and was staring at his daughter with fire in his eyes.  
  
"I thought I told you.." He started, but suddenly stopped. Staring at the crystal trident, a strange expression crossed his face. It was like a mixture of anger and fear. He lifted his mighty trident into the air.  
  
"Daddy, no!" Ariel cried, but it was too late. The king shot a blast from his trident at the crystal trident, and it shattered into thousands of tiny pieces.  
  
"Daddy, how could you..." Ariel cried softly, and she swam away, out of the grotto.  
  
King Triton turned his eyes of fire onto Sora.  
  
"Young man, you're not from another ocean! You're from another world! Aren't you?" He demanded.  
  
"Huh?" Sora cried, startled.  
  
"Then you must be the Key Bearer." King Triton said, deep in thought.  
  
There was complete silence for what seemed like an eternity.  
  
"How...did you know?" Sora finally managed to stutter.  
  
"You may fool Ariel, but you can't fool me! You don't know your dorsal fin from your tail!" The King boomed.  
  
"Uh..." Sora said, searching for a response.  
  
"As the Key Bearer, you must already know that you must not become involved in the affairs of other worlds!"  
  
"Of course I know that, but-"  
  
"But nothing! You have violated this principle! The Key Bearer brings ruin and shatters peace wherever he goes!"  
  
"Aw, Sora's not like that!" Goofy said.  
  
"I thank you for saving my daughter, but there's no room in my ocean for you or your Key!" The King said, and with that, he turned and left the grotto.  
  
The four of them seemed suspended in the water. Corita put a comforting arm around Sora, who was staring down at his weapon with mixed emotions.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~Sora53: Oh, the terror! The pain! The power!  
  
Fans: Oh, shut up.  
  
Sora53: I just realized! If Ariel is the daughter of King Triton, she's a princess, right?  
  
Fans: Wow, good job!  
  
Sora53: Well, wouldn't she be a Princess of Heart?  
  
Fans: Of course not! How could she breath in Hollow Bastion?  
  
Sora53: Of course...  
  
Riku Fangirls: No Riku? *sniff*~~ 


	25. SHARK!

~~Sora53: ^_^ Nice long chapter this time.  
  
Fans: GOOD!  
  
Sora53: MEEP! *runs away*~~  
  
Disclaimer: I still own nothing related to Kingdom Hearts except Corita!!! *pokes Corita*  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ariel?"  
  
"ARIEL!"  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
The four of them were swimming around the ocean's floor, searching for the mermaid.  
  
"I guess she's not here. Wonder where she went." Donald said.  
  
"Poor thing. Her father is so overprotective..." Corita mumbled, searching behind a rock.  
  
"Do you really think she'd be hiding there?" Goofy asked.  
  
"You never know!" Corita said. "Anyway, let's check the palace. That's just about the only place we haven't checked."  
  
"Must we?" Sora asked.  
  
"Oh, Sora! You're just upset about what King Triton said to you!" Corita said, following the trident markers that led to the palace.  
  
"Wouldn't you be?" Sora cried.  
  
"So one person doesn't like you. Big deal."  
  
"Still..."  
  
"Stop!" Goofy said. They had made it to the front of the palace.  
  
"What is it, Goofy?"  
  
"I can hear voices in there..."  
  
It was true; several different voices were echoing from inside the castle.  
  
"Sounds like trouble! Let's go!" said Goofy heroically.  
  
"Be quiet..." Donald mumbled as they followed the voices.  
  
They proceeded to the throne room, where they witnessed a mysterious sight.  
  
"Why, we have company." said a large, purple and black octopus woman, who held in her grubby hands, the royal trident. "I'm afraid you're a little late, handsome!" she taunted, and vanished into a black cloud.  
  
"Daddy..." Ariel moaned.  
  
"The trident... We must get it back." said King Triton firmly. He looked in bad shape; he rested on his throne weakly, like someone near death.  
  
"C'mon, let's go." Sora said firmly to his friends.  
  
Turning around, they went to leave the palace. However, they were stopped as Ariel swam out in front of them.  
  
"Wait!" She said softly. "I'm coming with you. My father's hurt and it's all my fault!" She said.  
  
"That's right! I'm right behind you, Ariel!" called Sebastion as he swam to Ariel's side.  
  
"No problem! Let's get that overgrown octopus!" Corita cried. "By the way, what's going on?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So, she tricked you and is using the power of the trident to take over Atlantica?"  
  
"Exactly. Everything's my fault..."  
  
"Don't feel bad, Ariel! Let's take care of it now!" Sora said. They had proceeded back to the sunken ship, where they were now searching for Ursula's lair. On the way, Ariel had explained what had occured between her, King Triton, and the "overgrown octopus" Ursula.  
  
"Well, we can take care of it as soon as we find her home! Where does she live, Ariel?" Corita asked.  
  
"I'm not sure. Ever since she was banished from the palace, she's kept mostly to herself..." Ariel muttered. As they spoke, they didn't notice a large shadow pass by overhead.  
  
"I'm sure we could ask someone who knows more about the secrets of the palace..." Sora muttered. "Sebastion?"  
  
"Huh? What? I don't know anything!" the little crab sputtered.  
  
"Yes you do!" Ariel said. "Daddy tells you everything! Besides, you want to stop Ursula too, don't you?"  
  
"Of course I do, but..."  
  
"Shark!"  
  
"I don't want you to get into any more danger..."  
  
"SHARK!"  
  
"C'mon, Sebastion!"  
  
"SHARK!!!!!" Corita cried, pulling Ariel and Sebastian out of the way at the last minute. Now occupying this space where they had been seconds before were a set of gleaming, razor-sharp teeth, each 5 inches long at least. These daggers belonged to a giant grey shark, with great yellow and red eyes. He didn't look happy in the slightest. He turned his head and gave a mighty roar; Goofy and Sora swam swiftly out of the lunging shark's jaws.  
  
"Get him!" Donald and Corita said, grabbing their staffs.  
  
"Get him!" Goofy cried, grabbing his shield (the best that turtles can grab, anyway,) and lunged at the beast.  
  
"Let's go!" Sora yelled, swimming towards him with suprising speed in the deep blue waters.  
  
"Sebastion, get to a safe place, and after this, I need to have a chat with you." Ariel said to the crab, who was already swimming towards a giant rock for saftey.  
  
"No problem, Ariel!" he called back. "I know just what to do! Now...GET THAT SHARK BEFORE HE EATS ME!" He whimpered.  
  
The shark was outnumbered 5 to 1, but he still managed to put up a great fight; his giant teeth never sunk into anyone. However, his smaller teeth did give Goofy and Donald some bad scratches; nothing that couldn't be healed in an instant by a potion of a Cure spell. In a short time, the shark was badly injured. Rather that fight to the death, the shark swam away in a desperate attempt to live to see another day.  
  
"Yeah, run, you overgrown tuna fish!" Donald cried at the shark's retreating back. He then turned and swam down to the others, who were gathered around Sebastion's hiding place.  
  
"Here it is. Pressing this button will reveal the secret passage to Ursula's lair. I hope you're ready, because she's one nasty sea witch." said the little crab, pressing with all his strength onto the yellow button in the wall. Next to them, the large stone that had been set against the wall crumbled, revealing a large, gaping hole.  
  
"Let's do this." Sora said in his "heroic" voice as he swam into the opening.  
  
"Honestly, Sora. That Keyblade has given you such a swollen head." Corita sighed, moving forward with brisk movements of her curly tail.  
  
"Wait up!" Donald cried from behing them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"It's quiet. Too quiet."  
  
"Sora, if you say that one more time I'll-"  
  
"Look out! There's something up there! I can hear something!"  
  
"What is that?"  
  
"It sounds like someone moaning..."  
  
"Moaning?"  
  
"Like they're in pain..."  
  
"Let's check it out."  
  
They had entered a large cavern, with an entrance shaped something like a dragon-like creature. Now, swimming into a large hallway area, they witnessed a horrible sight.  
  
"What are they?!" Corita yelped, swimming behind her brother to hide from them.  
  
"They look like plant-human hybrids!" Goofy said.  
  
Scattered on the floor of the hallway were hundreds of small, black plant- like creatures. However, instead of flowers, they had little human-like faces.  
  
"Are they...merpeople?" Sora asked.  
  
"They...used to be..." Ariel said softly. "We must defeat Ursula to free them!"  
  
Followed by the eyes of the little black creatures, they swam forward into Ursula's lair.  
  
Ursula's lair was a small, purple room, littered with various objects. To one side was a small mirror and makeup set, and on the opposite was was a large chair. In the center of the room lay a large bowl-like object, filled with a shimmering liquid that glowed various colors. It flashed from red to blue to yellow to white to green, and all the colors in between in a matter of seconds. Sitting on the chair, perched there like royalty, sat Ursula, with her twin moray eels Flotsam and Jetsam floating next to each other, their blue and yellow eyes flashing.  
  
"Come on! You can't run!" Donald cried to her.  
  
"Your time has come!" yelled Sebastion, perched on Donald's shoulder.  
  
The sea witch dragged herself out of her chair and floating upwards and towards them. However, she looked neither scared nor worried. Her fierce determined look was smothered with evil, and Donald and Sebastion cried out. Their intimidation wasn't nearly enough to make Ursula back down. Ursula beckoned her twin lackeys forward, and she tossed something into the great pot in the center of the room. It flashed a blinding white, and then stayed a light, brilliant blue.  
  
"Donald! Corita! Strike the pot with magic!" Ariel called as she swam forward to fight.  
  
"Will do!" Corita called after her, whisking out her staff. "How come I always get stuck with Donald...?"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"It's backfiring! Her cauldron is backfiring!" Donald called to the others, who took this precious time when Ursula was knocked out to attack her fiercly. Donald and Corita, however, quickly used an ether to keep their magic powers at a peak level. The magic attacks shot at the cauldron would backfire, causing Ursula, who's power was tied to the cauldron, to be knocked out for a few moments. However, she quickly recovered, and her eels would constantly bite at the attackers, causing Corita to waste precious MP on healing the others.  
  
However, the sea witch wasn't easily overpowered; she probably could have kept fighting if her eels hadn't finally erupted into a black cloud and her magic cauldron hadn't gone dim and clouded.  
  
"You'll pay for this!" She bellowed, swimming off into a black portal behind her chair.  
  
"That was pathetic!" Corita called after her. "You'd ought to read some instruction manuals! They really help!" "Looks like she has been reading up on her abilities." Sora said, picking up a small booklet. On the cover were the words "Mermaid Kick - Kick like a Mermaid!"  
  
"Cool! Let me see!" Donald said, snatching the booklet out of Sora's grip. "To swim with grace, speed, and agility underwater..."  
  
"Let me see!" Goofy said, taking the book. "You simply need to use your tail (If you have one), legs (If you have them, or just use all your strength..."  
  
"Give it to me!" Corita said, pulling it away from Goofy. "to push forward at a constant speed!"  
  
"That's what the booklet told you? I could have told you that myself!" Ariel laughed.  
  
"Then why didn't you?" Corita asked.  
  
"It didn't seem important."  
  
"Well, let's keep going. We need to find Ursula!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~Sora53: I'm actually here in my real Kingdom Hearts game! :)  
  
Fans: Yay?  
  
Sora53: I beat Ursula yesterday! And guess what I'm about to do as soon as I stop typing?  
  
Fans: Go into Halloween Town?  
  
Sora53: YAY! *pats fans on head* Good Fans, smart Fans!  
  
Fans: *growl*  
  
Riku Fangirls: *chanting* We want Riku! We want Riku!  
  
Sora53: *gulp*~~ 


	26. Thalassa Shells

~~Sora53: *snore* *snore*  
  
Riku Fangirls: RIKU!!  
  
Sora53: *wakes up* Yes, I think the word "Riku" is in this chappie 1 time...  
  
Riku Fangirls: *faints*  
  
Sora Fangirls: SORA!  
  
Sora53: I think the word "Sora" is in here...1...2...3...~~  
  
Disclaimer: I-still-do-not-own-Kingdom-Hearts-I-own-Corita-and-I-own-the- little-dolphin-in-this-chappie-I-suppose. *breathes* Wow, all of that in 4 seconds! Not bad!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Where do we go now?"  
  
"How should I know?"  
  
Ursula had seemingly vanished into oblivion. For 2 hours, the team of exhausted sea creatures had searched, and yet found no evidence of the sea witch anywhere in the sea.  
  
"Well, I'm ready to give up. Anyone else?" Donald asked.  
  
"We can't give up now!" Goofy cried.  
  
"C'mon, I know somewhere else we can look! No, wait, we already looked there..." Ariel moaned. At the moment, the team was resting on a group of rocks, thinking of where else they could go.  
  
"Do you think Sebastian would know?" Corita asked, idly flicking her curly tail in the pale ocean water.  
  
"I doubt it." Ariel said. The group turned and stared at the little crab, who was fast asleep on the largest rock, snoring peacefully.  
  
"Well, I guess we're stuck." Sora said, staring upwards towards the ocean's top, where the sun's rays were filtering downwards. A small bit of the sky could be seen from their position on the rocks. A low sigh emitted from each of their mouths, and they sunk into a deep state of stupor. Corita's eyes flickered open and closed. The rays of the sun felt good on her cool face. Yawning lightly, this feeling reminded her of something that happened long ago...  
  
"Hey, Sora!"  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"Look up at the sky!"  
  
"It's all dark..."  
  
"Open your eyes, silly! Look at that cloud up there!"  
  
"You're still gazing at clouds, Corita?"  
  
"It's shaped like a star!"  
  
"A star?"  
  
"Yeah! Remember that day on the Destiny Islands, the day before the storm?"  
  
"Yup...I saw a cloud that looked like a coconut...or Riku's head."  
  
"I think it was more of a Riku's headish shape."  
  
"Very funny."  
  
An akward silence followed. The memory of the happy days on the Destiny Islands had silenced the twins, locking them inside of themselves remembering their past lives. The long moments that passed were just as boring as the last, and they all drifted to sleep.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
A sudden burst of water woke Corita up. While still underwater, water travelling at fast speeds can be very annoying when you're awake, especially when you're asleep.  
  
"Hey! Sora, stop it!"  
  
"I didn't do it!"  
  
"Sure you didn't!"  
  
"Donald, shut up!"  
  
"Hey, look!" Ariel said, stopping the argument instantly. Drifting in front of the rocks was a small dolplin, not even fully grown. It was staring at them with pleading in its eyes, and making soft dolphin squeaks.  
  
"I think he wants us to follow him!" Ariel said, swimming beside the dolphin, who had begun to swim away. "Wake up, Sebastian!" Goofy said, poking the crab awake, who had remained asleep, protected from the fast speed of the water by Ariel's back.  
  
"No...mommy...I want to write the symphony..." Sebastian muttered as he rolled over, still asleep.  
  
"Aw, forget it! Give him to me!" Donald said, grabbing the little crab and holding him while they all swam forward. The small dolphin led them to the area of swift currents, and they had to constantly refer to "Mermaid Kick - Kick like a Mermaid!" to get through it.  
  
"What is it, boy? What's here?" Ariel asked the dolphin. The dolphin gave a series of small squeaks, and hung his head low.  
  
"What is it? What did he say?" Corita asked.  
  
Ariel shrugged. "I have no clue. I just do that for the effect."  
  
"Great. This should be fun." Sora muttered.  
  
"Wait! We should stock up on potions and ethers just in case!" Corita cried.  
  
"Why would we do that?" Donald asked.  
  
"What if it's Ursula?"  
  
"Why would she be hiding here?"  
  
"Fine, but if anything happens, you're going down, Duck Boy!"  
  
"Corita, if we meet anything in their even resembling Ursula, I'll give you ALL my ethers!" Donald said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Pay up, Donald." Corita said meekly.  
  
"You poor, insolent fools!" Ursula's booming voice echoed. They had entered a large cavern, and Ursula was using some kind of dark power to make herself grow gigantic. "I rule the seas now!"  
  
"Watch out!" Sora cried, pushing them out of the way of several tentacles, now growning rapidly.  
  
"The sea and all its spoils bow to my power!" She screeched as Donald reluctantly handed Corita his ethers. The little dolphin was still circling around Ariel, and Goofy was next to Sora, weapons in hand.  
  
"What am I supposed to do for the whole battle?" Moaned Donald.  
  
"Do what the dolphin's doing!" Corita said, pointing at the little dolphin. He had begun circling around Ursula's head, pecking at her giant forehead and eyes. Grumbling, Donald swam towards him. Sora and Goofy also swam forth once Ursula had reached her top size, and Ariel swam over to the dolphin.  
  
"All right, let's do this!" Corita said, swimming towards the giant sea witch.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Corita! Give me an ether!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Please?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Please?"  
  
"Fine, but only one."  
  
"Gee, thanks!"  
  
"It was a one-time thing."  
  
"Right."  
  
The battle was raging. The little dolphin and Donald were striking Ursula's eyes, and Sora and Goofy were hitting the back of her head. Ursula, however, kept turning her head to meet the Key Bearer's blows.  
  
"Take this!" She bellowed, unleashing giant energy beams from her eyes, which had become red and swollen. A quick peck from the dolphin stopped this, and the weakened sea witch turned towards the dolphin.  
  
"You little..." Ursula started, lifting a giant hand to crush the dolphin.  
  
"Pick on someone your own size!" Corita muttered, blasting a jet of boiling water, an underwater fire spell, at the giant hand.  
  
"You'll pay for that!" Ursula bellowed, shaking her hand and reaching for Corita instead.  
  
"Watch out!" Sora cried, pushing Corita out of the way.  
  
"ARRGH!" Ursula screeched as she clawed at them all, but they were too swift for them. Her massive size had slowed her down, and this was a definite disadvantage underwater.  
  
Corita felt the feeling deep inside of her that she always felt when casting a spell; the energy flowed through her and left her through her staff. A great gust of wind left her and circled around Sora.  
  
"Thanks, Corita!" Sora said, giving her a thumbs-up, and continued to bash Ursula. However, the areo spell was malfunctioning. The water itself around Sora began to swirl, faster and faster, until Sora was completly surrounded by a small whirlpool.  
  
"Awesome!" Sora's voice called from inside the whirlpool, and he delt another blow to Ursula.  
  
Eventually, the sea witch began to slow down, slow down more, and then almost give up on fighting altogether. It was Donald who delt the killing blow; he had saved the ether given to him by Corita for a final blizzard spell. Darkness began to swirl around Ursula as she sunk down to the bottom of the ocean. One final cry emitted from her mouth, and the dark cloud around her settled. The sea quickly became silent, and Ariel lifted the trident from the rubble. Overhead, barely visible in the murky den, a pearl- white heart-shaped cloud passed by.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Daddy, I am SO sorry!" Ariel moaned, handing the sea king his Trident.  
  
"It's okay, Ariel. It's my fault, too. I shouldn't have been so protective of you. I HAD to destroy the crystal trident for your saftey." King Trition said, gripping his trident firmly.  
  
"Oh, yeah! The crystal trident! Why did you destroy it?" Corita asked.  
  
"The crystal trident has the power to reveal the Keyhole. The Keyhole is dangerous, and I had to protect Ariel from it." King Triton answered simply.  
  
"Daddy..." Ariel said softly.  
  
King Triton turned to Sora. "Key Bearer, I have one final request: seal the Keyhole! My Trident also has the power to reveal the Keyhole. Will you do it?"  
  
"Of course! That's all we had in mind in the first place!" Sora said.  
  
"Daddy, where is the Keyhole?" Ariel asked.  
  
"You should know better than anyone! It's in your grotto!" King Triton chucked.  
  
"Really...Sora, let's go!" Ariel said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Now, all we do is set the Trident here!" Ariel said, lifting up the Trident in her hands. The Trident floated upwards towards the indent of the crystal trident. The crystal trident suddenly shown like new in the indent. In front of the trident, the water was bubbling. Rapidly, the ocean's water was bubbling like it was boiling hot. It finally slowed down, and revealed a transparent yet solid wall. In the wall was...  
  
"The Keyhole!" Goofy cried happily.  
  
"C'mon, Mr. Keyblade Master!" Corita said lightly to her brother.  
  
"Oh, be quiet." Sora said with a slight smile on his face. The familiar beam of light emitted from the Keyblade, and with the familiar locking sound, Atlantica was safe from the Heartless.  
  
"Tell me, Sora. You're world, what's it like?"  
  
"Oh, about that...sorry for lying to you." Sora said.  
  
"It's okay." Ariel said. "So many places I want to see...I know I'll make it someday!"  
  
"Well, if you do find it, do me a favor and leave me out of it!" Sebastian said from below them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Whew! Finally!" Corita said, pulling the piece of string out of her soaking wet hair. The bottom of the gummi ship was soaking wet, and 4 masses sat in the back, covered with towels, shivering madly.  
  
"Who knew the ocean was so c-c-cold?" Sora asked.  
  
"C'mon, YOU'RE the Key Bearer! You're supposed to be tough!" Donald quacked.  
  
"Aw, shut up. I'm going to dry off." Corita said, standing up. She walked into the back room of the gummi ship, still shivering. She reached for another towel when she realized that there was a strange lump in her pocket. Pulling it out, she gasped at the familar shell. It was still covered in wet sand, but she cleaned it off with her towel. Reaching deeper, she found a few more shells. Lying in her palm were 4 wet, sand- covered Thalassa Shells.  
  
Corita stared at the familiar shells. They had been abundant on the Destiny Islands. Symbolizing good luck, they were often used as a good luck charm.  
  
"SORA!" Corita cried, shells still in hand.  
  
~~Sora53: Oh, the suspence! Anyway, I'm finally done with Atlantica! Do you remember the Thalassa Shells? Kairi mentions them in the beginning of the game...I had to start a whole new game and make sure I spelled "Thalassa" correctly!  
  
Fans: *snore* *snore* Oh, is the lecture over?~~ 


	27. Sora's Cape

~~Sora53: Halloween Town! This is my favorite world!  
  
Fans: Yippee!  
  
Sora53: Be quiet. Just read. NOW!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't, and never will, own anything but Corita!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Aren't they pretty?" Corita sighed.  
  
"They're shells." Donald pointed out.  
  
"Not just any shells! They're Thalassa Shells! They're supposed to be really lucky!"  
  
"Lucky my foot!"  
  
"Aw, shut up. Here, who wants one?"  
  
"Why would you cart one of those stupid shells around?"  
  
"Well, I wasn't carrying one when I met you, so you can't have good luck when you don't have one..."  
  
"Corita! Donald! STOP!" Sora cried, pulling them apart.  
  
"I'll take this one!" Goofy said, picking up one of the shells. His shell had a slight greenish tint to it. "It's pretty..."  
  
"I want the red one!" Sora said, picking it up.  
  
"I get the blue one!" Corita said. "I guess you're stuck with the murky yellowish one, Donald..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Wait a second." Corita said, sitting in the front of the Gummi Ship next to Goofy. "I've never gotten to drive the Gummi Ship. Why not?"  
  
In the back, Donald and Sora stared at each other. "Well, you always used to get motion sickness..." Sora stated slowly.  
  
"Well, I'm over it not. Let me drive!" Corita said, pushing Goofy out of the driver's chair. "Look out, Heartless! Corita's driving!"  
  
"Oh, no..." Donald grumbled. "Some luck..."  
  
"Be quiet, Duck Boy! I happen to know a lot about Gummi Ships!" Corita said, fiddling with some of the buttons.  
  
"Really? Do you know how to steer it?"  
  
"You use the steering wheel, duh!" Corita said, turning the wheel right. "We're going right! Now, left! And right again! And...DIVE BOMB!" Corita squealed, pushing the steering wheel down.  
  
"NO DIVE BOMBS!" Sora cried. "Just get us to the next world!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"We're here!!" Corita cried happily. "You were right, Sora! Driving this ship is fun! Sora? Are you okay?"  
  
Corita's first time piloting the Gummi Ship may have been fun for her, but constant dive bombs and veering around sharp corners had nearly killed Sora, Donald, and Goofy, who were now hiding in the back room from the crazed pilot.  
  
"Guys? Guys?" Corita asked, setting the ship into hover mode and entering the back room.  
  
"Oh, hey Corita!" Sora said.  
  
"Sora?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Why are you hiding under the desk?"  
  
"Oh! No reason! Just...felt like it!"  
  
"Well, we're here at the new world. Are you ready to go?"  
  
"What world are we at?"  
  
"Why are you asking me?"  
  
"You're the driver! You should know!"  
  
"STOP!" Goofy cried, covering his ears. "Let me check 'Gummi Ships for Boneheads!'"  
  
Goofy walked over to the bookshelf and pulled out 'Gummi Ships for Boneheads.' He flipped to the map of the known worlds, and put his finger down on the page.  
  
"Here we are! According to this map, the next world is Agrabah!"  
  
"Agrabah? WE'VE ALREADY BEEN THERE!" Donald cried, ripping the book from Goofy's hands. "Here! The next world is Halloween Town!"  
  
"Halloween Town? I've heard of that place before!" Goofy said.  
  
"Really? What's it like there?" Corita asked.  
  
"Don't trust his information!" Donald said, flipping through 'Gummi Ships for Boneheads.' Here's a page of info...according to the book, Halloween Town is a world where it's Halloween all the time, kinda...I guess we're going to need scary costumes to fit in..."  
  
"AWESOME!" Squealed Sora and Corita, who were already rummaging through the drawers for costumes.  
  
"There's some stuff you could use in the shelf next to that one!" Goofy said, joining them in their crazed search.  
  
"Why do I even bother?" Donald sighed, walking over to them.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
After digging through the Gummi Ship for 2 and a half hours, several different costumes were now being worn by the crazed Heartless-fighting group. Donald was dressed like a mummy, with strips of paper and masking tape wrapped all over him, and Goofy was dressed as a zombie.  
  
"You're sure this is safe?" Goofy asked as Corita put a contact lens in his eye to make it all spiraly.  
  
"Of course!" Corita said kindly. She herself was dressed as a werewolf, wearing a headband that she had glued little ears to, a set of fangs, and a pair of brown old fuzzy slippers that she had managed to shove nails into to make makeshift paws. Of course, Sora was dressed with his vampire fangs and his black outfit and a tiny little cape.  
  
"Who knew we could find all of this in the Gummi Ship?" Sora wondered, adoring his outfit.  
  
"Uh, Sora? What's with the cape?" Corita asked curiously.  
  
"I dunno. It just looks cool." Sora answered. "Ready to go?"  
  
"YEAH!" They cried, and Sora flipped the hover switch into the "off" position, and flew off towards the world looming towards them.  
  
"HEY! I STILL GET TO DRIVE!" Corita cried, pushing him out of the cockpit.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"This sure is a spooky place. I'll bet the people here are scary- lookin' too." Goofy said nervously, staring at the area around him.  
  
"Don't worry. We look spooky, too. If anyone scares us, we'll scare 'em right back!" Donald said firmly.  
  
"You think so?" Goofy asked.  
  
"I know so." Donald said firmy. Halloween Town was really a spooky looking place, with its dusky color and little lighting. Everything seemed to have a greyish color. It was also make more spooky by the fact that no one was on the street.  
  
"Where is everyone?" Corita asked.  
  
"I don't know. Maybe they all got taken by the Heartless!" Donald said.  
  
"Shut up. I don't see any Heartless here..." Corita said.  
  
"You've got such an attitude sometimes..." Donald said, reaching for his staff.  
  
"Oh yeah? You want to take me, Duck Boy?" Corita growled.  
  
"STOP CALLING ME DUCK BOY!" Donald roared.  
  
"Guys! Stop it!" Sora said. "Watch out!"  
  
They had entered the town square, and several Heartless ghost were floating around the area.  
  
"Let's get them!" Goofy cried.  
  
"No! Don't hurt them!" A voice behind them called out.  
  
The team turned quickly at the sound of a voice. A short little man with a tall hat was running towards them.  
  
"They're the amazing dancing Heartless!" he said.  
  
"Who are you?" Donald said.  
  
"Don't worry about that right now. Give me a few minutes and I can help you." he said. The man walked away, and grabbed a megaphone.  
  
"And now, allow me to introduce the master of terror, the king of nightmares-Jack Skellington!" He said. Emerging from the well in the center of the town was an extremly tall, extremly skinny man with the face of a skeleton. There was something eerie about him drifting up from the well, and the Heartless dancing around him.  
  
"Bravo, Jack! Bravo!" cried the man, applauding him. "Those ghosts will be a big hit at this year's Halloween!"  
  
"Thank you, thank you!" said Jack. "But their movement still needs work. It's not scary enough. I want to strike bone-chilling terror. I'm going to consult the doctor." He said, walking off.  
  
"Then I'll go attend to the decorations!" said the man, running off.  
  
Meanwhile, Sora and Corita were applauding, Goofy was absolutly giddy, and Donald was pretending to be asleep.  
  
"Wake up, Donald!" Goofy said, poking him in the head.  
  
"Huh?" Donald said.  
  
"Let's go see him!" Sora said, pulling his friends towards the man.  
  
"Huh? Oh, hello you four!" The man said. "Those are quite some costumes!"  
  
"You think so?" Sora said. "Do you like my cape?"  
  
"It's wonderful!" he said. "I'm the mayor, and welcome to Halloween Town!"  
  
"Yeah...yeah..." Donald grumbled.  
  
"Hey, who was that guy before?" Sora asked.  
  
"Oh, that was Jack Skellington! We're both working on perfecting the Heartless Halloween we have planned!"  
  
"Heartless Halloween?" Corita asked.  
  
"Why don't you go ask Jack about it? I'm sure he'd be happy to tell you!" The mayor said, hanging some decorations on the top of the well.  
  
"Where is he?" Goofy asked.  
  
"He went to see Dr. Finkelstein! His lab is right up there!" The mayor said, pointing to the top of a hill.  
  
"Thanks for your help!" Sora said. "Is the cape the best part of my costume?"  
  
~~Sora53: Oh, that Sora and his cape!  
  
Riku Fangirls: I wonder what costume Riku would wear...  
  
Sora53: He would be a Heartless!!  
  
Riku Fangirls: RIKU WITH HEARTESS COSTUME? *faints*~~ 


	28. Forget me not

~~Sora53: Sorry about not updating. It was CHRISTMAS TIME, BABY!!!  
  
Fans: Yay.  
  
Sora53: Guess what I got for Christmas?  
  
Fans: A new brain?  
  
Sora53: ...no.~~  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own Kingdom Hearts. Or anything related to it. Except Corita. Muahaha.  
  
Review answers: You know I want to answer all of your review questions. But I won't. Muahaha. You must continue to read....  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I don't understand. Maybe the guidance system was damaged in the explosion." Jack said to Dr. Finkelstein.  
  
Sora, Corita, Donald, and Goofy were staring at them through the tiny keyhole in the door to the lab.  
  
"Nonsense. My devices are always perfect!" Said Dr. Finkelstein.  
  
"Oh, I've got it!" Jack said, reading a giant book. "Why, of course! The Heartless need a heart! Doctor, do you think we can add a heart to that device?"  
  
"Certainly. A heart's not all that complicated." Dr. Finkelstein said, moving over to a small table where a Heartless ghost was laying. "Let's get to work..."  
  
"To make a heart, first take a container with a lock..." Jack read out of the book to Dr. Finkelstein while the doctor searched underneath the table where the Heartless lay. He emerged with an odd looking heart-like thing that throbbed as if it was beating. In the center of it was a large lock.  
  
"We need the key to this thing first!" Dr Finkelstein yelled to Jack.  
  
Meanwhile, Sora, Corita, Donald, and Goofy had stood away from the door, and were now discussing one of Sora's crazy schemes.  
  
"Sora, this has to be one of your most crazy schemes ever planned!" Donald said.  
  
"Why not? If I unlock that for them, we won't have to fight the Heartless!" Sora said.  
  
"He's got a point, Donald." Goofy said.  
  
"Besides, I want to see the Heartless dance. Don't you?" Corita asked.  
  
"Not really." Donald answered.  
  
"Aw, you're such a stick-in-the-mud, Donald!" Goofy said cheerfully, pushing the door open for Sora.  
  
"I'm not going in there!" Donald said, shivering. "It gives me the creeps!"  
  
"C'mon, you should feel right at home in a laboratory!" Corita said, pulling him in after Sora.  
  
"Who's there?" Jack asked, turning around.  
  
"Hello, there!" Goofy said cheerfully.  
  
"I kind of overheard you before...you need something unlocked?" Sora asked, holding up the Keyblade.  
  
"Well, yes, but I highly doubt a mere child...what are you doing?!" Dr. Finkelstein cried. Sora held the Keyblade up to the lock on the heart, and with a blast of light from the tip of the key, there was a soft clicking sound, and the lock's grip was lost.  
  
Jack and Dr. Finkelstein stared at Sora in awe for a moment. "My, that was amazing!" Jack said. "Um...and you are...?"  
  
"Sora."  
  
"Well done, Sora! I'd like you to be part of this year's Halloween!"  
  
"Hey, what's this Heartless doing here?" Corita asked, poking the Heartless ghost lying on the table.  
  
"Oh, the Heartless came to town just recently." Jack said, walking over to her. "What's frustrating is that I can't get them to dance with me!"  
  
"Oh, that would break my heart, too..." Donald muttered under his breath.  
  
"Ssh!" Goofy said.  
  
"So, the doctor and I are trying to improve the guidance system. He's quite a genius!" Jack said, moving towards Dr. Finkelstein, who was busy reading out of the giant book.  
  
"Okay, doctor! Let's continue! 'Ingredients for a heart-pulse'" Jack repeated, lifting a frog out from under the table. "Emotion...terror...fear...hope and despair...mix them all together, and we have a heart!" Jack said, lifting a number of objects out from under the table and throwing on top.  
  
"Stand back, you two!" Dr. Finkelstein said to Corita and Goofy, who were now poking the Heartless constantly. They swiftly moved back to Donald and Sora. Dr. Finkelstein pulled a large lever next to the table, and large beams of light came shooting down from above the table, zapping the Heartless. The Heartless sat up for a moment, suspended like a zombie. Dr. Finkelstein pulled the lever back down, and the beam stopped flowing. The Heartless instantly slumped back into a state of unconciousness.  
  
"It failed!" Dr Finkelstein groaned. He sulked for a minute, and then spoke again.  
  
"Maybe we're missing some ingredients... let's try adding memory!" He said. Dr. Finkelstein then lifted the top of his head off (which may have been more disturbing had he be a normal human) and started "poking" what looked like a brain.  
  
"Sally?" He muttered to himself. "Sally!" He cried again.  
  
"Good for nothing girl!" He yelled, pulling the top of head down again. "Don't know why I bothered creating her!" He turned towards Jack. "Sally's got the memory we need. See if you can track her down!" He said.  
  
"No problem!" Jack answered. "Sora, would you like to come along?"  
  
"Sure!" Sora said instantly.  
  
"I don't want to go..." Donald muttered as they walked out the door.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"OHHHHHHHHH.............I'VE GOT AN AWESOME CAPE! YES I DO! LA LA LA! I'TS ABOUT 15 SIZES TOO SMALL AND HAS LITTLE TINY WINGS-"  
  
"STOP...IT...BEFORE...I...GO...CRAZY!!" Corita cried, covering her ears.  
  
"I think it's a snazzy tune. Nice cape, Sora!" Jack said, grinning.  
  
"AH! Don't encourage him!" Corita said. "He's insane!"  
  
"I may be insane, but I have a cool cape." Sora said, smiling at his sister.  
  
The group had made it out the lab doorway and down the stairs before Sora began singing a crazy song. And, of course, this one was about his cape.  
  
"Anyway..." Corita said, glaring at Sora. "Where would this 'Sally' person be, anyway?"  
  
"I don't know." Jack said, frowning. "She likes to walk around a lot, so It's hard to keep track of her."  
  
"Well, I guess we'll just have-" Donald started, but was cut off due to the fact that the mayor had just run into him.  
  
"Jack! Jack!" The mayor cried, getting up off of Donald. "We have a major crisis!"  
  
"What is it?" Jack asked.  
  
"The Heartless are completly out of control! We can't stop them!" The mayor yelled right into Donald's ear by accident, because he had just gotten off of the ground.  
  
"Hm...maybe our experiment triggered something." Jack thought outloud. "Everything will be fine, Mayor. You have nothing to worry about."  
  
"Oh, good!" The mayor sighed. "Well, good luck! I could help you...but I've got decorations to put up!" The Mayor said, running off towards the lab.  
  
"Finally, some action!" Sora said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Be careful of the Search Ghosts! Those are the one's there...they can teleport!" Jiminy cried over the noise of the battle. He was perched on top of Corita's head, which he said was the best place to sit.  
  
"Well, Goofy and Sora move around a lot because they're fighters, and Donald's...vertically challenged." Jiminy had explained earlier. "It's much easier to see from a non moving tall thing than a moving short thing....I think..."  
  
Anyway, Jiminy was dressed as a little ghost, with a handkerchief loosly tied around his neck, and cuts in the fabric for his eyes and his antennea. He wasn't remotely scary, just a bit cute.  
  
"Careful, Goofy! The Gargolyes can teleport too, and they can fly! ...Yes, that's why they have wings..."  
  
"Not as cool as MY wings, though!" Sora cried, defeating a Heartless and sending it flying as it vanished into a cloud of smoke.  
  
"Yes, Sora. Those wings are SO cool." Donald said sarcastically as he send a fire spell hurling at a Search Ghost.  
  
They were in a small graveyard, and the tombstones jutted out of the ground, making it difficult to manuver.  
  
"Of course! Aren't they awsome?" Sora asked fondly.  
  
"They're the best!" Goofy said, defeating another Gargolye. "Score one for the boys back home!"  
  
Eventually, they managed to clear out the entire area, and they rested against the tombstones as Jack walked over to a small grave.  
  
"Zero!" Jack called, patting his knees. Out of the dirt at the foot of the grave flew a small, ghost-like dog. It floated over to Jack.  
  
"Zero, have you seen Sally anywhere?" Jack asked.  
  
The dog's ears perked up, and it flew over to a small gravestone. There was a small gasp. From behind it rose a young woman. Her body seemed patched together by stitches. Upon walking over to her, the group would discover that she was.  
  
"Is something wrong, Jack?" Sally asked in a soft voice.  
  
"No, no! Everything's perfect!" Jack said cheerfully. "We're going to have the best Halloween ever! All we need know is your memory."  
  
"'Memory'? You mean this?" Sally asked, holding up a small bunch of flowers.  
  
"Exactly!" Jack said, eagerly taking them from Sally's hands.  
  
"Jack, I have a bad feeling about this. Why not try something else? There's still time!"  
  
"Nothing can beat what I've got planned!" Jack said. "Don't worry, you're going to love it!" He said gently to Sally, who had a nervous look on her face.  
  
"Let's go! Back to the lab!" He said to the group behind him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~Sora53: Muahaha. You will worship the shortness of this chappie. BOW!! NOW!!!  
  
Sora Fangirls: *bow* *bow* Sora...  
  
Riku Fangirls: I won't bow to anything that doesn't have to do with Riku.  
  
Sora53: *unveils a giant statue of Riku eating a grape lollipop*  
  
Riku Fangirls: *bow *bow* Riku and/or grape lollipops...  
  
Fans: Wow. This is a sad sad place.~~ 


	29. Reverse Psychology

~~Sora53: Once upon a time, there was a crazed authoress who didn't update her ficcy for a long time. You know what happened to her?  
  
Fans: Death?  
  
Sora53: No! She updated!! ^_^!!  
  
Disclaimer: *pulls out wallet* I have...2 dollars! Not enough to own Kingdom Hearts. But it is enough to own Corita!!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Yes, this is it." Dr. Finkelstein said when Jack held up the small bunch of forget-me-not.  
  
"Now, I've been doing a bit of reading, and all we need now is suprise. I'm sure the Mayor said something about it a while back." He said.  
  
"No problem!" Jack said. "We'll be right back with the suprise!"  
  
"Suprise? How do you just go out and find suprise?" Corita asked, following behind Jack, whose legs were almost as tall as her.  
  
"You just do." He said mysteriously.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Wait! Stop everything! We have the suprise!" Sora called, walking back into the laboratory.  
  
"Sora, don't be so dramatic about it." Corita said.  
  
"Hey, we had to play a weird game to get it! Why not be dramatic?" Goofy asked.  
  
"I'll take that!" Dr. Finkelstein said to Sora, snatching the Jack-in-the- Box from his hands. "Just give me a minute..." He said, turning away.  
  
"I think it was fun! Even though you nearly had a heart attack, Donald." Goofy said.  
  
"Since when do ghosts fly OUT of tombstones?" Donald shivered.  
  
"In Halloween Town, they do!" Jack said grandly as he walked over to Dr. Finkelstein.  
  
The whole process took about 5 minutes. In that time, Sora had managed to sit down on a chair bored, Donald was sighing impatiently, and Goofy was poking him in the head. Corita had drifed back over to the Heartless, and started poking it again.  
  
"How much longer?" Goofy asked.  
  
"A few more minutes!" came the reply.  
  
There was a great groan from everyone in the room except for Jack and Dr. Finkelstein.  
  
"Did you hear that?" Corita asked the boys sitting a few feet away. All she got in response was another grumble.  
  
"I thought I heard something...there it is again!" She cried. "It came from over here..."  
  
Corita walked behind the table where the Heartless was laying, and she caught site of a pointed hat scurrying away.  
  
"There's someone there!" She said.  
  
"I've finished!" Dr. Finkelstein said, holding up the heart.  
  
"Watch out!" Corita cried.  
  
"What are you talking about? There's no one...HEY!" Dr. Finkelstein bellowed. From behind him came a small kid with a strange, skeleton-like mask on. Grabbing the heart, the child ran off with 2 companions.  
  
"Grr.....go get them!" Dr. Finkelstein cried, pointing his finger at the door.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Aw, we lost them!" Sora said sadly.  
  
"We couldn't have already!" Corita said.  
  
"Looks like it." Goofy moaned.  
  
"Don't worry!" Jack said calmly. He was looking up in the sky, as if expecting all the answers to come falling out.  
  
"What are you looking for?" Donald asked him.  
  
"Zero!" Jack said.  
  
As he spoke, the same small ghost-dog they had seen in the graveyard came drifting down towards them.  
  
"Zero, after them, quick!" Jack said, pointing a finger in the direction where the 3 had gone.  
  
Zero's ghostly ears perked upwards, and he turned around and flew off in a flash.  
  
"FOLLOW THAT DOG!" Goofy shrieked, running swiftly after him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I knew Oogie Boogie was behind this!"  
  
Zero had let them straight to a giant manor; huge fences and giant gates soon told them that they weren't welcome.  
  
"How are we supposed to get in?" Sora asked.  
  
"We climb!" Corita said, pointing to a small path upwards to the entrance to the manor.  
  
The manor rocked and creaked as they climbed; various Heartless emerged from every nook and cranny.  
  
"So, why do you think Oogie Boogie wants the heart?" Sora asked Jack after they had defeated their 20th set of Heartless (Goofy counted.)  
  
"Oh, I don't know." Jack admitted. "He's most likely trying to control the Heartless with it..."  
  
There was a loud thunk; Goofy had dropped his shield on Donald's foot.  
  
"OW!!! GOOOOFFFFYYYY....."  
  
"Sorry, Donald."  
  
Along with Donald's shriek came dozens of more Heartless, so Sora and Jack's conversation was cut short.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You think this is the door?" Corita asked. "Hey, there's a note!" She said, pulling a piece of paper off the door. "It reads, 'Keep out. If you enter, you will die. If you resist, you will die. If you're close enough to the manor to be reading this message, then you're probably already dead.'"  
  
"Sounds pretty accurate to me." Jack said thoughtfully.  
  
"Let's go!" Sora said, wrenching open the door and stepping inside.  
  
The room with the death message taped to the door turned out to be little more than a playroom. A few toys were scattered here and there, and some chairs and such were set up. Directly across from the entrance, however, were the 3 little troublemakers who had stolen the heart.  
  
At the sound of the door closing behind Donald, the 3 of them lept up from what they had been doing.  
  
"Ah! You're supposed to be dead!" aid the little witch.  
  
"Ah, but you're forgetting one thing. A simple message on a door doesn't kill people." Corita said matter-of-factly.  
  
"Shut up, girlie!" said the little devil. "Shock, Barrel, you ready?"  
  
"Always ready!" The boy named Barrel said.  
  
"Let's take 'em!" said Shock.  
  
"Whaddya mean, 'girlie?'" Corita cried. "Grr...I'LL SEND YOU HOME CRYING FOR YOUR MOMMIES FOR THAT!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"It wasn't our fault! Oogie tricked us into taking the heart." Shock said sadly.  
  
"It was all Barrel's idea!" Lock said, pointing next to him to Barrel.  
  
"Bu-Bu-But...you guys said..." Barrel said slowly.  
  
"You should be ashamed of yourself!" Shock cried, burying her head in her arms.  
  
The battle between Lock, Shock, and Barrel had been a swift and easy one. Corita, keeping her promise of sending them home crying, had gotten in a variety of spells; everything from Aero on her teammates to blasting the 3 troublemakers with huge blasts of fire. Sora, of course, had been fighting mainly with his Keyblade; he simply claimed he wasn't ready to take Merlin's advice and try a magic spell. Goofy and Jack swiped at them with their weapon/claws, and Donald had entertained himself by shooting ice spells and Corita's fire spells, just to annoy her.  
  
"Do you WANT me to unwrap you, Mummy Boy?! PERMENANTLY?!" Corita had growled at him.  
  
"BRING IT ON, CRAZY WOLF LADY!"  
  
"Stop...it..." Sora said, pulling the two apart. They quickly became entanged in the fight again, leaving little time for arguments.  
  
"You think they've learned their lesson?" Jack asked, staring at the three huddled masses that were sniveling and clinging to each other.  
  
"Let's blast 'em!" Donald said, pointing his staff at them.  
  
"No!" Lock cried.  
  
"It wasn't our fault!" Barrel cried.  
  
"Have a heart!" Shock wimpered.  
  
"Don't blast them." Sora said. He kneeled down to their level, and with a little smile, asked, "We won't blast you if you promise never to listen to Oogie Boogie again. Okay?"  
  
The three of them nodded, and seemed to relax a bit more.  
  
"However," Sora went on, "I'll need to you tell me where Oogie Boogie is."  
  
"We...we don't even know..." Shock said quickly.  
  
"No idea!" Lock said.  
  
"He's definitly not behind the green door!" Barrel said.  
  
"Oh? And where is this nonexistent green door?" Sora asked.  
  
"It's absolutly NOT near the bottom of the manor, and you don't need to pull that lever to get in." Barrel said softly. "Nice job, little idiot!" Corita called, pulling down the lever he had pointed to. A soft whirring noise filled the room, and Barrel lept up.  
  
"No! I was using reverse phycology!"  
  
"Hmm...oh well." Donald said, marching out of the room behind the rest of the team.  
  
~~Sora53: The problem with new chappies after you haven't updated? They're short.  
  
Fans:...  
  
Sora53: What?  
  
Fans: *points* Crazed Riku fangirls here to collect they're chapterly amount of Riku.  
  
Sora53: *gulp*~~ 


	30. Oogie's Manor

~~Sora53: *walks onto stage w/ microphone* Ahem...now, for your reading pleasure, an actually decently long chapter of "Twin Hearts!"  
  
Random People: *wild cheers*  
  
Fans: Woo...hoo.  
  
Riku Fangirls: RIKU?!  
  
Sora53: ^_^ Wait one chapter!  
  
Riku Fangirls: Oh...*sniff*~~  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I own Corita. Got it? Good. *mutters* Evil laywers...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"'Torture Chamber', huh?"  
  
After walking down the side of the manor, the team had discovered the green door that Barrel had revealed using his 'reverse phycology'. On the front of the door, the words, 'Torture Chamber' were crudly carved.  
  
"Sounds like fun!" Donald said in a sarcastic tone.  
  
"You can stay here if you want." Corita said quietly, adjusting her werewolf ears that had slid down the back of her head.  
  
"No way! The one who waits at the entrance always gets killed first!"  
  
"Really?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Whatever. Let's go!" Corita said, pushing open the door with one clawed paw.  
  
The tourtue chamber wasn't exactly what the group was expecting. They saw something far different than chains and whips. The room was a giant circle, all surrounding Oogie's greatest creation: a giant roulette wheel. Across from them, now staring at them with his empty eyes, was Oogie Boogie.  
  
"Oogie Boogie, give me back the heart!" Jack yelled at him.  
  
"You want it?" Oogie taunted, holding up the heart. "Well, then come on over and get it!" He cried. With that, the evil sack of bugs lifted the heart over his mouth, and swallowed it hole.  
  
Oogie Boogie laughed evilly as Jack stared at him in disbelief.  
  
"Now," he said after he had calmed down. "Let's see if I can get their attention! Oh, Heartless!" Oogie called, summoning forth his evil army.  
  
After a few moments, Oogie looked around him. However, all he had managed to call were 2 measly gargoyles.  
  
"This is it?" Oogie said, looking at each gargoyle as if expecting them the split into more. "Nobody disrespects me! NOBODY!" He cried madly, running over to a giant switch on the wall. Oogie pulled the switch, and all of Jack's new friends were blasted onto the roulette wheel by a blast of flame.  
  
"Ow...Sora, you okay?"  
  
"I'm fine...Jack?"  
  
"Yes...I'm okay..."  
  
"WATCH OUT FOR THE HEARTLESS!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"ETHER!? I NEED AN ETHER!"  
  
"I DON'T HAVE ANY MORE!"  
  
"STOP YELLING AT CORITA!"  
  
"JUST STOP YELLING!"  
  
"I STILL NEED AN ETHER!"  
  
Oogie's love of gambling was getting the better of the team. Corita had run out of ethers, so she was smacking Heartless with her staff to regain MP. Donald, who had also run out of MP, was hitting the other Heartless that had appeared. Goofy and Jack took to hitting Oogie Boogie whenever Sora stopped the roulette wheel. This method worked relativly well, except when Oogie hit then with metal blades and a buzzsaw.  
  
"WATCH IT!"  
  
"I TOLD YOU TO STOP YELLING!"  
  
"NO, BUZZSAW!"  
  
"Oh. RUN!!!"  
  
Corita knocked Jack out of the way of the buzzsaw at the last minute; however, Corita's werewolf tail was chopped off in the process.  
  
"Oh...does no one want me to have a nice Halloween? Where's the candy and the merriment?" Corita sobbed. moaning about her tail.  
  
"No time for candy!" Goofy said, knocking a Heartless away.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Oogie Boogie was finally defeated; the evil sack of bugs fell apart at the seams, and hundreds of bugs of all sizes and colors spewed onto the roulette wheel.  
  
"EEW! Bugs!" Corita cried, running off.  
  
"So, that heart was a failure after all." Jack said sadly.  
  
"Might as well not worry about it now." Sora said, cheering Jack up. "C'mon, lets go work on that Halloween celebration!"  
  
"Yeah, I guess so." Jack said, slightly more cheerful.  
  
Climbing back up to the top of the room, they exited the tourture chamber and climbed down the manor. They were all the way to the top of the cliff, when...  
  
"What's going on?!" Donald wailed.  
  
The ground began to shake, and a loud rumbling was emerging from Oogie's manor. Large dust clouds began to swirl around it, making it impossible to see.  
  
"What's going on?" Sora said in the darkness.  
  
A loud wailing was coming from the manor; and the dust began to clear.  
  
"Whoa! How did he get so big?" Corita asked, staring at the manor.  
  
The manor seemed to have fused together with Oogie Boogie; they were one. Oogie's face could be seen clearly jutting out from the side of the manor, and his arms and legs were clearly defined as well.  
  
"Look!" Jack said, pointing at the manor. "It's drawing its power from those orbs!"  
  
On the manor were several large black and purple orbs. "So, we just have to destroy them, right?" Leaping down from the side of the cliff, the group fell to the ground and formed an elaborate plan.  
  
"Okay! I'll go this way, you guys go some other way!" Sora said, pointing in various directions. With that, he ran off, leaving his friends behind.  
  
"I'll go this way!"  
  
"I'm going with Donald!"  
  
"I'll climb up that leg!"  
  
"Wait a second, that leaves the orb at the top for me!!"  
  
"Good luck, Corita! We're counting on you!"  
  
Corita moaned and grumbled, taking out her staff and placing it on her shoulder.  
  
"Just my luck." She moaned. Corita ran over to one of Oogie's legs and began her long climb to the top of the manor.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Oogie Boogie's manor swayed and moaned as Corita climbed higher and higher. Around her, she could hear the sounds of her friends defeating their share of orbs as well. Corita put her foot into a strong foothold and pulled herself onto a small ledge. Standing on the ledge, she could see that Donald had fallen to the bottom of the manor and was now clamboring back up. With a slight smile, she turned her head and looked for the next ledge.  
  
Suddenly, Corita was struck in the back by a powerful blow. Slipping and falling off the ledge, Corita managed to grab the edge before she fell. Right above her was a gargoyle, staring at her with its empty eyes.  
  
"Grr...." Corita grumbled as she pulled herself back up. "Stupid Heartless!" She yelled as she blasted a fire spell directly at it. It hit the gargoyle square in the face, and it plummeted towards the ground far below.  
  
"Anyway..." Corita said to herself as she heaved herself onto the next set of footholds. The manor made a sudden jerk, as if to knock her off, and this time, she fell back onto the ledge.  
  
"DOES NO ONE WANT ME TO GET OFF THIS LEDGE?!" She cried as she pulled herself back up.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sora's weapon bounced off the orb again. He lifted the Keyblade above the dark orb, and swung it down swiftly. However, the Keyblade bounced off the orb as if the orb was made of solid rock.  
  
"Let me help you, there!" Donald said cheerfully as he walked towards Sora.  
  
"You? What can you do? Nothing affects these things!" Sora yelled angrily.  
  
"Ah, but that's were you are wrong, my friend!" Donald said, lifting his staff. "You've got to hit 'em with magic, then they become vunerable to regular attacks!"  
  
"How do you know?" Sora asked.  
  
"Goofy told me."  
  
Donald pointed his staff directly at the orb and sent a fire spell hurtling towards it. The orb glowed bright purple for a moment after it had been hit, and then it returned to its deep black color.  
  
"There ya go! Now, where's your sister? I should help her, too..."  
  
"Corita doesn't need help. She's fine on her own." Sora said as he hacked away at the orb.  
  
"Oh, there she is! All the way up there!" Donald said, pointing one finger at the small figure of Corita, almost to the top of the manor.  
  
"WHAT?!" Sora said, looking in the direction that Donald was pointing. "Is she crazy? She's afraid of heights!"  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Finally, Corita felt the wind against her face as she reached the top of the manor. All around her, Heartless gargoyles surrounded her as she fought them off. A little ways off, the top orb glowed in the moonlight. After defeating the gargoyles, Corita stepped towards the orb. Staring into its depths, Corita saw nothing but pure darkness.  
  
"Talk about creepy..." Corita mumbled. Her eyes suddenly shifted towards a small figure yelling and waving its arms at her.  
  
"Hey, it's Sora!" Corita said cheerfully, staring at the small figure of her brother. "I wonder what he wants..." Her eyes shifted again as she came to the realization that she was on the very top of the manor. "Whoa..." Corita said, slowly stepping away from the edge of the manor. "Wait...I'm not afraid of heights anymore...I've got a job to do, anyway..." She said, turning back towards the orb.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Is that all of them?" Jack asked, running towards Donald, who was back on the ground.  
  
"I think so." Donald said. "Where's Goofy?"  
  
"Right here!" Goofy said happily as he joined the group.  
  
"Wait...who are we missing?"  
  
Turning their heads back towards the manor, they saw Sora yelling towards Corita, who was still on the top of the manor.  
  
"What is he doing? SORA! YOU IDIOT! GET DOWN HERE!" Donald yelled.  
  
"Don't talk to Sora that way!" Goofy said.  
  
"Well, it's kind of true." Donald said. The small figure of Sora suddenly turned around and climbed down the manor, yelling something wildly.  
  
"She did it!" Sora said, running back towards his friends. "She got the last orb!"  
  
"Wait a minute...now that the orbs are gone, the manor is going to crumble, isn't it?" Jack said as the ground began to rumble.  
  
"Right to the ground!" Goofy said. The manor began to crumble, and dust clouds formed around it.  
  
"WITH CORITA STILL ON TOP OF IT!!" Sora cried. He ran back towards the manor, yelling for Corita to come down, even while the manor was crumbling in front of him.  
  
"I...was...right..." Donald said, pulling him back by his cape. "You...are...an...idiot..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Uh oh..." Corita said. The manor was crumbling right beneath her feet, and she was still on top. She peered over the edge to see if she could jump, but there was nothing but wooden planks and fire lamps.  
  
"Fun, fun...Sora, I'm going to kill you later..." Corita said as she ran backwards, but that path was blocked as well. The planks beneath her finally crumbled, and Corita fell through the night sky, surrounded by dust and wood.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Hey! Wake up! You're kind of in the way!"  
  
"Huh?" Corita said, opening her eyes. "Where am I?"  
  
"In the way, that's what you are!"  
  
"Sora?" Corita asked, sitting up. "Wow. Where'd the love and worry go?"  
  
"Corita, do you think you can get up and move?" Sora asked.  
  
"Why?" She asked, standing up. "You're pretty far away..."  
  
"I'm not standing in the way of me saving Halloween Town!"  
  
"What?" Corita asked, looking around her. Gasping, she stepped back a few feet. Surrounding her, in a bright line, was the shape of a large, glowing Keyhole.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Sally, why didn't I listen to you?" Jack groaned.  
  
"Don't feel bad, Jack." Sally said soothingly. "Next year's celebration will be even better! Next time, we'll do it together!" She said.  
  
"Yeah...but what about right now?" Jack asked.  
  
"Well, we can always have a normal Halloween!"  
  
"NORMAL? Hah!" Jack laughed. "It needs to be scary, terrifying, and mind- numbing! Almost like Donald's face." He whispered to Corita.  
  
"What's so funny?" Donald asked as Corita broke into fits of laughter.  
  
"Here, Sora. I want you to have this." Jack said as he placed a keychain in Sora's hand. "Take it as a memento of this year's Halloween!"  
  
"Thanks!" Sora said as he placed it into his pocket.  
  
"I hope you guys succeed in your mission!" Jack said, waving goodbye to them as they went to leave Dr. Finkelstein's lab.  
  
"Hope, emotion, terror...I just don't get it." Dr. Finkelstein muttered. "It should have been perfect...maybe a heart's more complicated than we thought...what is a heart, anyway? I can't figure it out!"  
  
"You will." Jack said to him. "Now, how about a goodbye for these guys?"  
  
"Yes, yes. Goodbye, and good luck!" Dr. Finkelstein said as Sora, Corita, Goofy and Donald left the lab.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~Random People" *wild applause and cheers*  
  
Sora53: Wow...I never thought I'd actually make it to Neverland.  
  
Fans: You did! ^_^  
  
Riku Fangirls: *points at next chapter* And Neverland means large quanities of Riku being Riku! *melts*  
  
Sora53: Yeah...It's too bad we're to Neverland...I'm going to miss Corita...  
  
Fans: What?  
  
Sora53: Nothing!~~ 


	31. Hotel Corita

~~Sora53: This chapter...came to me in a dream.  
  
Fans:...what?  
  
Sora53: ^_^ Yup! One night, I actually dreamed of writing this chapter! I never got around to it until now. Plus, it will taunt all you Riku-crazed fangirls!  
  
Riku Fangirls: WHAT?! NO RIKU FOR 1 MORE CHAPTER?! *sob*~~  
  
Disclaimer: Yup. I dont own Kingdom Hearts. Yup. But Corita is mine. Haha.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Finally, back on the gummi ship where I belong." Corita said happily.  
  
"I still can't believe you made it all the way to the top of the manor without fainting." Donald said.  
  
"Well, I guess I must be over my fear of heights!" Corita said. "By the way, when can I drive again?"  
  
The ride in the gummi ship was pretty uneventful; they made it back to Traverse Town just as it was getting late.  
  
"Okay, if Leon tries to come near us again, I'm blasting him!" Corita said through gritted teeth.  
  
"What's with you?" Sora asked as they stood in the First District.  
  
"I'm sick of him creeping us out!"  
  
"Well, here's your chance to suprise him." Sora said, pointing behind them. Leon stood there, a funny smirk on his face.  
  
"Okay...here goes...one...two..."  
  
"Hey, Corita?" Leon asked.  
  
"What? I'm trying to suprise you, here!"  
  
"You've got something on your head."  
  
"Wha...?"  
  
"Oh, you told her!" Sora laughed, rolling on the ground with laughter next to Goofy and Donald. "We wanted to see how long it would be before she noticed!"  
  
"My werewolf ears?" Corita said, puzzled. "I never took them off?"  
  
By now, Leon was laughing just as hard as Sora, Goofy, and Donald. Corita stomped off towards the Second District, glowing red.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"I knew opening a hotel in the Second District was a dumb idea...no one ever comes here except the duck, dog, and the twins....oh, I wanted to be a magician, but NO...I wasn't MAGICAL enough...I HAD to carry on with the family business....I knew I should've gone to college..."  
  
"Um, sir?"  
  
"WAHH!" cried the hotel owner. Corita was standing at the front desk, waiting to check in.  
  
"Are you okay?" Corita asked.  
  
"Yes...yes...I'm fine...I imagine it'll be the two rooms again?"  
  
"Well, yes..."  
  
"You know what?" The hotel owner said, stepping out from the front desk. "You take it! Take the whole hotel!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"That's right! It's yours!" He said, grabbing his coat and a few suitcases. "Fighting Heartless out of it...scaring away all my customers...6 of my best customers had their hearts stolen last month, did you know that?"  
  
"Well, that's not really making me want to sleep here..." Corita said truthfully.  
  
"Well, do whatever you want with it. It's yours." He said, handing the keys to her. "Barely making a single munny here...I'm going back home to my mother!" He wailed, walking out of the hotel, still babbling to himself.  
  
Corita stared at the keys that now rested in her palm. "Wait until I tell Sora that I got us our own hotel!" She said happily.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Corita opened one eye, waiting for her brother to walk into the hotel, probably arguing with Donald. She laid her head back until she heard voices outside.  
  
"...and that's why the Heartless have no hearts!" Goofy said cheerfully as he held open the door.  
  
"Wow, Goofy. Thanks. We sure didn't know that before." Donald said in a sarcastic tone.  
  
"Hey, Corita. What are you doing?" Sora asked.  
  
"Well, are you going to rent a room or not?" Corita asked.  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Welcome to Hotel Corita! We have all luxury accomidations, including rooms to sleep in! Now for the low low price of 0 munny for anyone who's my brother or my brother's friend! Except you, you have to pay full price." She added to Donald.  
  
"Wait a second, we don't own this hotel!" Sora cried.  
  
"Now we do! The owner went crazy and gave the whole place to me! If you hadn't been busy laughing it could have been named after you." She said happily.  
  
Sora, Donald, and Goofy stared at each other for a moment.  
  
"WHOO!!! WE HAVE OUR OWN PLACE!" Sora said.  
  
"THIS ROOM IS MINE; IT'S GREEN!" Goofy cheered.  
  
"Wait for me!" Donald said.  
  
"Hang on, you! You pay full price!" Corita said, stopping him with one arm.  
  
Grumbling, Donald reached into his pocket and thrust some munny into Corita's hands.  
  
"Thank you!" Corita said as Donald walked away. Corita walked down the hallway, where Goofy and Sora were having a pillow fight. She joined in, and they eventually even got Donald in on the action. After the room was covered with feathers, they all went off to their seperate rooms.  
  
"I've gotta hand it to you, Corita. Having our own place sure is nice." Sora said, walking down the hallway.  
  
"Yep. You really don't give me enough credit." Corita answered.  
  
"Well, sleep tight. We've got a big day ahead of us tommorow."  
  
"I guess so. See you tommorow."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Corita?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Wat are you doing awake? It's 4:30 in the morning!" Sora said, walking into Corita's room. Corita was seated at a table, painting something onto a piece of wood.  
  
"Nothing." Corita said lightly, brushing some loose hair out of her face. "It's finished!"  
  
Corita stood up and held up a large, bright, and colorful sign. The words 'Hotel Corita' were painted on it in big blue letters, while the background was a picture of a sunny beach.  
  
"Isn't it great? I've been working on it for 3 hours!" She said proudly. "I made the background look like the Destiny Islands!"  
  
"Corita, go to bed." Sora said, walking out of the room.  
  
"Hey, how about a little constructive criticism?" Corita called after him.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~Sora53: Yes, it was short. Still, it was a chapter. SO REVIEW IT! And don't mock my dreams...  
  
Fans: *points and laughs*  
  
Riku Fangirls: *peeks at next chapter* Riku?  
  
Sora53: *pushes Riku fangirls away* NO PEEKING!~~ 


	32. No respect

~~Sora53: Whew. Never thought I'd make it to Neverland.  
  
Fans: Well, you did. Congrats.  
  
Sora53: ^_^  
  
Riku Fangirls: *scours the chapter* THERE'S STILL NO RIKU!!  
  
Sora53: Duh, you need to INTRODUCE a world first!  
  
Riku Fangirls: But what about in the beginning of Neverland in the game when Sora and Riku-  
  
Sora53: DON'T SPOIL THE CHAPTER!!!~~  
  
Disclaimer: Still don't own Kingdom Hearts. I do own Corita. Feel my wrath. Muahaha.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You know, no one really respects me, did you notice that?"  
  
"Corita, we all respect you!" Sora said.  
  
"No, not really...you make fun of me, and laugh at me for no good reason!" Corita said firmly.  
  
"Well, you have to admit, the ears were pretty funny." Sora said as Donald snickered behind him.  
  
"Don't feel bad, Corita. We're just kidding around!" Goofy said.  
  
"Yeah, well, your kidding around sure has gotten pretty mean lately." Corita said sadly.  
  
"Hey, don't worry. Cheer up! I know! Let's go shopping! Girls like to shop!" Sora said, pulling Corita's arm towards the ducklings' shop.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Corita was seated in the back of the Gummi Ship, re-reading 'Gummi Ships for Boneheads'. Sora had bought her a new staff, ethers, AND a pack of bubble gum, but she was still in a bad mood.  
  
"Corita, what's wrong?" Sora asked, turning around from the front of the ship. Corita merely looked up from her book for a moment, then continued reading.  
  
"Are you still moping about the ear thing?" Donald asked.  
  
"No, Donald." Sora said calmly. I think she's upset because you were wearing her werewolf ear's in the duckling's shop and pretended to fall from Oogie's manor!"  
  
"Oh yeah, that."  
  
Corita continued to read her book. However, it was more like she was simply glaring at her book; when Sora looked at her he half expected her to burn a hole through the book with her eyes.  
  
"You know Corita..." Sora said slowly. "We don't really underestimate what you do! I mean, look at me! If it weren't for you, I'd be dead now!"  
  
Corita continued to glare at her book, ignoring Sora.  
  
"We should be at the new world soon! Isn't that exciting?"  
  
No response.  
  
"Okay Corita. I'll give you 6.3 seconds to say something!" Sora said loudly.  
  
"Oh, please." Donald said, rolling his eyes.  
  
"3...4..5..."  
  
"LOOK OUT!"  
  
"Now, see? That wasn't so hard, was it-"  
  
The Gummi Ship was suddenly rammed hard on one side; Corita, Sora, Goofy, and Donald were all thrown to the side.  
  
"Owww....Goofy, why didn't you say anything?"  
  
"I didn't see anything! It came from nowhere!"  
  
Standing up, slightly shaken, the four of them could see a huge pirate ship had rammed them. The ship was huge; it was a miracle that they hadn't been pushed completly off course.  
  
"GET US OUT OF HERE, GOOFY!" Corita yelled as the ship drew closer to them.  
  
"Too late! It's blocked off our path!"  
  
"Too late is right." Sora said softly. Several Heartless had appeared inside the Gummi Ship. They appeared to be small, dark pirates with deep, glowing eyes.  
  
"Great. Just great. Wait...how did Heartless get on the Gummi Ship? We have an anti-Heartless-teleportation device! It cost 2000 munny!" Donald roared.  
  
"Oops, must've forgot to turn it on." Goofy said.  
  
While Donald was yelling at Goofy, the Heartless had surrounded the four of them; their glowing yellow eyes piercing the light of the Gummi Ship.  
  
"Um...Sora...KILL THEM!" Donald cried.  
  
"Me? Why not you?" Sora yelled at Donald.  
  
"Because YOU'RE the Keyblade Master!"  
  
"So? That doesn't give you the right to-"  
  
"Look out!" Corita yelled, ducking out of the way. One of the Heartless had lept towards them, it's long claws reaching for Corita's arm. However, since Corita had ducked out of the way, it latched onto Donald instead.  
  
"GET IT OFF ME!" Donald roared, smacking the Heartless in the head several times. Before Goofy and Sora could help him, however, he and the Heartless dissapeared in a blast of darkness.  
  
"Great...just great..." Sora said, taking out his Keyblade. He was too late, however; a Heartless had lept from behind him and latched onto his throat. Before he could even speak, he was gone as well.  
  
"Goofy! Back me up here!" Corita said, taking out her staff. "Goofy?"  
  
Corita turned around, but Goofy was gone as well.  
  
"WHY DOES THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN TO ME?!" Corita cried, swinging at a Heartless, but missing. She heard a small scratching noise, like sharp claws leaving the ground. Before she could turn around, strong claws latched onto her throat.  
  
"Urg...get...offa me!" Corita cried, pulling at the Heartless. Then, Corita felt as if all the breath had been knocked out of her. Struggling, she pulled at the creature on her throat. Opening her eyes, she saw two glowing yellow eyes staring at her. They would be the last thing she ever saw...  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Ah, she's okay."  
  
"Any idea what happened yet?"  
  
"You asked me this 6 times before, Goofy."  
  
"So? You might've realized what happened!"  
  
Corita opened her eyes slowly and saw Goofy and Donald above her. Sitting up, she moaned in pain.  
  
"Oww...my throat hurts...wait? I'm alive?"  
  
Corita pinched her arm to make sure she wasn't dreaming.  
  
"OW! Okay, I guess I am..."  
  
"You okay, Corita?" Goofy asked.  
  
"I guess so...where are we?"  
  
"Ya know, I think those Heartless teleported us onto this here pirate ship!" Goofy said.  
  
The three of them were inside of a small, wooden room. The floor was creaking softly, and it rocked gently below them.  
  
"That seems logical." Donald said sarcastically.  
  
"Well, what's your theory?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Give me a minute..." Donald said, thinking hard.  
  
"Wait a second. Where's Sora?" Corita asked.  
  
Looking around, Donald and Goofy suddenly realized that Sora wasn't there.  
  
"Hmm...you're right! I didn't even notice that he was gone!" Donald said.  
  
"Where could he be..." Corita muttered.  
  
"Do you hear something?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Yeah...it sounds like someone screamed!" Corita said, looking around quickly.  
  
"But...from where? It sounded like it came...from above?" Donald said, looking at the ceiling.  
  
"WATCH OUT!" Sora cried as he crashed down from a hole in the ceiling.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Are you sure?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Yeah, it was definitely Kairi! I've finally found her!" Sora said happily.  
  
"All right! Let's go up and talk to her!" Corita said.  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Sounds great! Okay, but first..." Donald started. "How about getting off?"  
  
Sora had fallen from the deck of the ship and landed directly on top of the other three in the room.  
  
"Oops, sorry." He said.  
  
After untangling themselves from Sora, the four of them proceeded to find an exit to the room.  
  
"We could just burn the door down." Corita said.  
  
"If we burn the door down, the ship will burn too!" Donald yelled.  
  
"So?"  
  
"WE'RE ON THE SHIP, YOU IDIOT!"  
  
"DON'T CALL CORITA AN IDIOT!"  
  
"WHY DOESN'T ANYONE RESPECT ME!?" Corita said as she huffed off and stood in a corner, sulking.  
  
"Ugh...teenage girls." Donald moaned as he pushed at the door.  
  
"Excuse me?" asked an unfamilar voice.  
  
Sora's looking behind the barrels had revealed that the room held another occupant; a young boy dressed in green had appeared as if from nowhere.  
  
"Who are you?" Donald asked.  
  
"I'm the answer to your prayers!" He said merrily. Donald, however, tapped his foot impatienly.  
  
"Okay, fine. Have it your way." said the boy, looking around the room.  
  
"But you're stuck in here too, aren't you?" Sora asked.  
  
"No, I'm just waiting for someone." He answered.  
  
"Who?"  
  
A small light had flown in through the open window of the door; it circled around Sora's head and made it's way to the boy. Close examination of the light revealed it to actually to be what appeared to be a small person; a pixie.  
  
"Tinker Bell, what took you so long?" The boy asked.  
  
The pixie simply moved her mouth, but it seemed like the boy understood her.  
  
"Great job. So you found Wendy? .... Hold on. There was another girl there, too? .... Are you crazy? There's no way I'm gonna leave Wendy there!"  
  
"Aha. She must be pretty jealous!" Donald said, snickering. Tinker Bell turned around, indignant, and kicked Donald in the mouth.  
  
"Ow! Nice kick for a pixie..."  
  
"C'mon, Tink! Open up the door!"  
  
"Ahem!" Sora said as Tinker Bell flew out of the room and unlocked the door.  
  
"I'm Peter Pan." The boy said, holding out his hand as if to shake Sora's.  
  
"I'm Sora." Sora said, reaching his hand out to shake Peter's. However, Peter pulled his hand away quickly.  
  
"Okay, we're in this together but only 'till we find Wendy." He said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~Sora53: Wasn't that an EXCELLENT chapter? *sigh*  
  
Fans: ....whatever.  
  
Sora Fangirls: SORA FELL FROM DECK! He...may...be...hurt! *sobs*  
  
Riku Fangirls: Oh, shut up. *sobs* Riku...  
  
Sora53: Oh, please. Here. Have some Riku:  
  
Riku Riku Riku Riku Riku Riku Riku Riku Riku Riku Riku Riku Riku Riku Riku  
  
Riku Fangirls: *melts*~~ 


	33. A little bit of pixie dust

~~Sora53: You're all gonna hate me for the end of this chapter. A cliffhanger if I ever saw one. The chappie is kinda short too.  
  
Fans: You're so cruel.  
  
Sora53: I know ^_^. Hey, thankies for all the nice reviews, everyone! Only a few more to 100!  
  
Fans: That's so special.  
  
Sora53: And, believe it or not, there is, I repeat, is, Riku in this chapter!  
  
Riku Fangirls: YAY! *melts (again. They have a melting problem)*~~  
  
Disclaimer: I've run out of witty ideas to put here. Ya know what? I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I do own Corita. You don't like it? DEAL WITH IT!  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"So, uh, how come you can fly?" Goofy asked Peter Pan. The 5 of them (6 if you count Tinker Bell) had escaped from the bottom of the ship, and were making their way towards the kitchen area.  
  
"Anyone can fly." Peter Pan answered coolly. Of course, the whole group had noticed that he was flying, but they didn't mention anything. Sora and Corita had become used to unusual happenings. "You wanna try?"  
  
Peter Pan whistled, and Tinker Bell came flying towards him.  
  
"Aw, haven't you cooled off yet, Tink?" Peter Pan asked her. She didn't appear to make a single noise once again, but Peter understood. Peter Pan grabbed hold of Tinker Bell, and together they flew over the other 4, covering them with a fine gold dust.  
  
"Just a little bit of pixie dust. There. Now you can fly!" Peter Pan said merrily.  
  
Donald flapped his wings hard, but even with wings he couldn't fly. He flopped back down to the floor, and Tinker Bell laughed at him heartily.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What? So Wendy's not one of the chosen ones?" Captain Hook, captian of the pirate ship, roared. He stood in a large room, yelling at Riku.  
  
"Maleficent says she's not one of them." Riku said simply. Riku turned his back to the pirate, and said softly,  
  
"Hoist anchor as soon as possible. Leave all the dead weight behind, including her."  
  
"After all the trouble of capturing her?" Captain Hook roared. "What is Maleficent planning, anyway?"  
  
"Who knows?" Riku said softly. "As long as it means getting Kairi's heart back, I couldn't care less."  
  
"Hmph." Captain Hook said. "You're wasting you're time. The Heartless have devoured that girl's heart. I'll stake me other hand it's lost forever. "  
  
"I will find it, no matter what."  
  
Captain Hook opened his mouth to speak again, but he was interrupted by another pirate, Mr. Smee, speaking over the pipes.  
  
"Uh, captain..."  
  
"What?" Captain Hook sighed, walking over to the pipes.  
  
"The prisoners have escaped. What's more, Peter Pan is with them."  
  
"Grr....blast that Peter Pan! All right, then! Bring the hostage up to me cabin, Smee! Hop to it!"  
  
"Wait." Riku said, walking over to the pipes. "I have a small request for you..."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"What is it, Tink?" Peter Pan asked the pixie. They had entered a small room, with a large fire blazing in the fireplace, and part of the ceiling was only partially covered. Tinker Bell flew up to the ceiling that was only partially blocked off.  
  
"Peter? Peter Pan?" A girl's voice called out.  
  
"Wendy!" Peter answered, flying up to the ceiling. Through the netting, a young girl wearing a blue dress was visible.  
  
"Please, hurry! The pirates are coming!" Wendy cried.  
  
"Wait! I'll be right up there! Just hold on!" Peter answered.  
  
"Wendy?" Sora's voice called out.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Is there...another girl in there with you?"  
  
"Oh, why, yes." Wendy answered. "But she seems to be asleep. She hasn't budged an inch."  
  
Barely visible beyond the netting, Kairi's arm and bright purple shoes could be seen.  
  
"Kairi? Kairi!" Sora called, reaching out for her. Kairi remained dormant, except for the slightest twitch of her fingers that were barely visible in the dim lighting. However, Sora's moment of triumph was short lived. Wendy screamed, and Kairi's body were dragged out of view.  
  
"Wendy! Hey, let's get up there!" Peter Pan said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Sora had been quiet the whole time they were on the pirate ship. He had barely spoken a word, except when they were locked in the room below deck.  
  
"Sora, are you okay?" Corita asked as they defeated some pirate Heartless.  
  
"Huh? Oh, no...everything's fine...I'm fine...the world is great...you know what else is great? Bubble Gum! Hey, do you still have some from that pack I got you?"  
  
"Sora...you're speaking in gibberish."  
  
"NOTHING'S WRONG!"  
  
"Will you two stop yelling?" Peter Pan asked. "Look, there's a bunch of different rooms here. How about we each take a different one, and search for Wendy and Kairi?"  
  
"Good idea." Donald said.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Grr...'Oh, let's each take a different room!' This is crazy..." Corita muttered under her breath, standing in an empty room. "'Make sure to search it thoroughly...' how well can you search a room with a couple of boxes in it?" Corita had the bad luck of being stuck in a room with barely anything in it, yet she was supposed to spend at least 10 minutes searching every nook and cranny.  
  
Corita sat down on a barrel and waited for 10 minutes to go by. If Corita had anything good to say about herself, it was her sense of time. After about 5 minutes of waiting, Corita felt like she was going crazy.  
  
"Why am I stuck here?" She asked herself. "I should go and find Sora..."  
  
Corita stood up and stretched her legs (sitting on barrels is very uncomfortable) and went to leave the room.  
  
"Why should you?"  
  
Corita spun around so fast she needed to grab the nearest barrel to keep herself from crashing to the floor.  
  
"You know they don't appreciate you. Why should you go back to help them?"  
  
"Wha...Riku?" Corita asked slowly. She was staring into the light teal eyes of her old friend. He was seated right on the barrel she had been sitting on moments before.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~Sora53: *ahem* MUAHAHAHA!! *cough hack*  
  
Fans: Again: you're so cruel.  
  
Sora53: I know!!! MUAHAHA!!  
  
Riku Fangirls: *are still melted* Riku...~~ 


	34. Never Smile at a Crocodile

~~Sora53: Riku ish very evil in this chappie...  
  
Fans: He's always evil.  
  
Sora53: I'll keep this short, because I know you can't wait to read!!!~~  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I own Corita. Yup.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"You know I'm right." Riku said, standing up. Corita's hand instinctively reached for the handle of her staff. "You've always been the extra one. The odd man out. Just another member of our island community who we had to accept."  
  
"What the heck are you taking about!?" Corita cried, her grip tightening on her staff.  
  
"Sora and I were always best friends. You were just the extra one. When Kairi came to our island, you started to develop a strong friendship, didn't you?" Riku asked, standing up.  
  
"Well..." Corita said slowly. It was true; she and Kairi had always been good friends, especially when Sora and Riku were in their 'girls are icky' stage.  
  
"Don't you want to see her again?" Riku asked. "Your one true friend?"  
  
Corita stood there, silently gripping her staff. In front of her was Riku; he'd proven to be a traiter when they were inside Monstro. Yet...in a way...he was right.  
  
"It may be true..." Corita started slowly. "That I've always been the extra one. I know you and Sora were once best friends, and you often excluded me. That is, except when you wanted to throw coconuts at me. Still, I know that Kairi's strong. She'll survive, wherever she is. I know that she wouldn't want me risking my neck just to save her." Corita said. "Even if...even if we were best friends..." She finished in barely a whisper.  
  
Riku, who had been listening to Corita's story, took a step towards her. Corita tried to step backwards again, but just ended up knocking her head against the door.  
  
"Oww..." She muttered, rubbing the back of her head. In the moments that it took for her to recover, she found herself surrounded by Heartless.  
  
"Wha?" Corita said, looking around at the bunch of glowing yellow eyes. "What's with the Heartless?" She said, grabbing her staff.  
  
"The Heartless obey me now, Corita." Riku said eerily as the Heartless crept closer to her.  
  
"Wow. I'm trembling." Corita said sarcastically as the Heartless's claws scratched the ground. One of the clawed creatures reached out, and with lightning-quick speed, knocked Corita's staff out of her hands.  
  
"You should be." Riku said as the Heartless lept onto Corita, darkness surrounding her.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Grr...where is she?" Donald said, tapping his foot impatienly.  
  
"Maybe...she's still searching?" Peter Pan suggested.  
  
"No. Corita has an amazing sense of time. She'd know when 10 minutes were up." Sora said.  
  
"Do I hear a slight tint of worry in your voice?" Goofy asked curiously.  
  
"I'm not worried about her!" Sora said. "Corita's tough. I'm sure she's fine."  
  
"You always worry about her." Peter Pan said cheerfully.  
  
"Can we stop making fun of me?" Sora pleaded. "Let's just keep moving forward. I'm sure we'll meet up with her later."  
  
The four of them slowly made their way towards the captain's room, which led to the deck. Sora had said that he wanted to go there, but he wouldn't mention why.  
  
"Watch out below!" Goofy called as he toppled off of Sora and Donald. The three of them had pulled down a ladder off of the ceiling that led to the room above. Peter Pan was watching with an amused look in his eyes.  
  
"Couldn't you have just flown up there and taken it down?" Donald asked.  
  
"Could have." Peter answered as he floated through the air.  
  
"Why didn't you?"  
  
"Too lazy."  
  
Sora grabbed onto the ladder and slowly started to climb it. Behind him, Goofy and Donald slowly ambled up it as well. Peter Pan just flew up.  
  
As Sora's eyes became level with the floor above, he saw the one thing he had no desire of seeing.  
  
"Riku, wait!" Sora cried as he pulled himself up from the ladder. In front of him stood his former friend, a funny smirk on his face. Cradled in his arms was the unconscious form of Kairi. Riku stepped backwards into a small pool of darkness, and a dark creature appeared in front of him. As Riku dissapeared, Sora found himself staring into the eyes of himself.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"How do we know which one's which?"  
  
"Just keep slicing at them!"  
  
'Antisora', as Sora had dubbed him, kept splitting into 3 different Soras. They kept jumping out of the floor and striking at their feet. More than once, they knocked one of the 3 non-fliers off their feet.  
  
"OWW!" Donald cried as he flew through the air and landed on his belly. "Where's Corita when you actually need her?"  
  
Eventually, however, they figured out which one was real; he was easily defeated after that. Antisora dissapeared into a pool of darkness, back into the shadows.  
  
"C'mon." Sora said calmly as Antisora was vanishing into the floor. "Check the hatch over there. I think it leads to the room where Wendy is."  
  
Donald waddled over to the hatch on the floor, but Peter Pan beat him there. Peter ripped open the hatch and flew down to the floor below.  
  
"Wendy!" Peter Pan cried as Sora, Goofy, and Donald fell down to the room. Peter was holding Wendy's head in his arms. It looked like she was unconscious.  
  
"C'mon, Tink, not now!" Peter said, waving Tinker Bell away. "Well, this is as far as I can go. I've gotta help Wendy." Peter said as he picked her up. He flew upwards through the hatch with her without so much as a goodbye.  
  
"Let's go." Sora said after a quick glance around the room. "Let's get up to the deck." ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Quite a codfish, that Riku-running off with those girls without even saying goodbye." Captain Hook said, out on the deck. Sora and his friends had made it back to the captain's room and walked out to the deck, where a group of pirates had surrounded them.  
  
"Run off where? Tell me, where did he go?" Sora said angrily, waving the Keyblade in the air.  
  
"To the ruins of Hollow Bastion, where Maleficent resides." Captain Hook said. "But you won't be going there." He said with a twisted smile. He held up a small cage with a glowing light inside. Squinting, Sora could barely make out the tiny form of Tinker Bell.  
  
"Unless you intend to leave your little pixie friend behind?" Captain Hook asked gleefully.  
  
"No..." Sora said slowly. Sora's head drooped sadly, and the Keyblade dissapeared in a twist of light. A group of Heartless pirates surrounded them, and Captain Hook spoke again.  
  
"Hand over the Keyblade and I'll spare your lives! Be glad I'm merciful, unlike the Heartless." He added with a slight grin. "So, which will it be...the Keyblade, or the plank?"  
  
Behind them, there was a slight ticking noise. Looking over the side of the ship, Sora saw a giant crocodile floating in the water.  
  
"It's him! The crocodile that took me hand! Oh, Smee! He's after me other hand! I can't stay here!" Captain Hook cried in a panic. "Go away! Oh, I can't stand the sight of him! Smee, you take care of them!" Captain Hook said, running to his cabin and slamming the door. During this time, the Heartless had forced Sora onto the plank.  
  
"Wow, what a baby." Sora muttered calmy to himself. With a glace behind him, Sora saw that the crocodile was now positioned right under the plank with his mouth wide open.  
  
"Fly, Sora! Just believe, and you can do it!" Came Peter's voice quietly in Sora's ear. Sora closed his eyes, and lept off the back of the plank. Hoping Peter Pan wasn't lying, Sora pushed himself through the air, and felt the soft currents brushing against his face. Looking back, he saw the crocodile growing smaller and smaller....  
  
He was flying.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
~~Sora53: Yeah, yeah, save it. So it was a lame fight against Antisora. Big deal  
  
Fans: Oh, the suspense! The drama! Whoop de doo.  
  
Riku Fangirls: Oh, Riku is so EVIL!!! *all faint*  
  
Sora53: O_o~~ 


	35. Captain Hook's Hat

---Sora53: It's been years! Decades! Milleniums!  
  
Fans: Or, maybe just a while.  
  
Sora53: Yeah, that. Sorry about the wait! You forgive me, right?  
  
Fans: Whatever.---  
  
Disclaimer: Kingdom Hearts me owning it = no! Corita mine = yes! YAY!  
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Peter Pan flew down and grabbed Tinker Bell's cage, and opened it as Sora hit solid ground again.  
  
"Thanks, Peter." Sora said with a sigh of relief.  
  
"Hey, don't mention it. You don't think I'd leave you and Tink behind, did you?" Peter said lightly as he opened Tinker Bell's cage. The pixie flew around Peter's head joyfully. "However, I do believe we have some business to take care of..."  
  
"Ah, yes..." Sora said softly as the Heartless began to creep around them. "This will be fun..."

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"I'm falling!" Donald cried as he tumbled through the air, staff in hand. Sora flew behind him and lifted him back into the air with a jerk.  
  
"Donald, it's not that hard. Just flap your wings if you have to!" Sora called as he flew towards a Heartless standing motionless on the ship, staring up at them with hungry eyes.  
  
"Look, Peter! I'm a bird!" Goofy cried as he flapped his arms wildly through the air, looking very much like a bird that had forgotten what it's wings were for.  
  
"Shouldn't you two be helping us fight the Heartless?" Peter asked as Donald plummeted through the air again.  
  
"You're used to flying. This is our first experience!" Goofy said.  
  
"Sora doesn't seem to care that it's his first time."  
  
"Well, Sora's in a bit of denial right now." Donald said as he pulled himself uneasily back into the air.  
  
"What do you mean?" Peter asked.  
  
"Are you COMPLETLY ignorant, or do you just not pay attention to EVERYTHING around you?" Donald said with a pinch on anger in his voice.  
  
"Sora's lost his home, Kairi, Riku, and just when he thinks he's going to get it all back, he loses Corita, too. How would you feel?" Goofy said softly. Peter hung his head in thought and pity for a moment, but didn't have too much time to think. For at that moment, Sora came flying up towards them.  
  
"Hey! What have you guys been doing up here? I already creamed all the Heartless!" He said.  
  
"We were just...helping Donald fly!" Goofy said quickly.  
  
"Yeah, he's terrible!" Peter agreed.  
  
"You're right, I do stink!" Donald said.  
  
Sora stared at the three of them for a moment with a puzzled look on his face. "Well, whatever...let's go lure the rat out of it's nest!" He said, flying down to Captain Hook's door.

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"Is that you, Smee? Did you finish them off?" Captain Hook's voice said through the door after Peter Pan knocked on it.  
  
"Aye, Captain. They walked the plank, every last one of them!" Peter Pan said, holding his nose. He sounded remarkably like Smee.  
  
Captain Hook rushed out of his office, looking around wildly. Peter Pan gently pulled out his dagger, and game Captain Hook a generous poke in the back.  
  
"P-Peter Pa-" Captain Hook stuttered as he wheeled around. "Blast you!"  
  
"Ready to make a splash, you codfish?" Peter asked as he floated gently into the air. "Now it's your turn to walk the plank!"

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Captain Hook cried angrily at Sora, Peter, Donald, and Goofy as they floated 20 feet above him, planning a battle strategy.  
  
"Come down and fight, you cowards!" He roared, brandishing his long sword.  
  
"Okay, when I say 'go', everyone go along with the plan, got it?" Sora asked softly among Captain Hook's yells.  
  
"Right!" They all agreed, and floated apart.  
  
"One...two..." Sora muttered to himself. "GO!" He cried, flying straight at Captain Hook with his Keyblade raised. Donald and Goofy attacked him at the sides, and Peter Pan attacked him from behind. The result was all five of them toppled on the deck of the boat, dizzied by the crash.  
  
"Fly!" Peter Pan cried as Captain Hook came to. Before he lept into the air, however, Peter grabbed Captain Hook's hat off his head.  
  
"Hey! Give it back! No fair!" Captain Hook wailed as Peter rose into the air. "I can't go on living without me hat!"  
  
"You really want it?" Peter asked sweetly. "Go get it!" Peter flew over the water, and threw Hook's hat 10 feet away from the prying eyes of the crocodile.  
  
"NO!" Hook cried as he lept into the water after his hat. Grabbing it, he placed it back on his soaking wet hair.  
  
"Ha! I got me hat back! Wait..." Hook said as he turned his head slowly and came face-to-face with the crocodile.  
  
"AHHH!!" He cried as the crocodile chased him off into the night.

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Sora stood on the deck, staring down at the railing he was gripping. Donald, Goofy, and Peter stood behind him a bit, giving him some room. Sora's face was deep in thought. They were completly silent for a moment.  
  
"Uh, Kairi couldn't wake up, so maybe she's really lost her-" Goofy started, but was quickly silenced by Donald.  
  
"Sora." Peter said simply to the brown-haired teen.  
  
"I still can't believe it." Sora said softly. "I really flew! Just wait until I tell Kairi and Corita! You think they'll believe me?"  
  
"I bet Kairi would with a little proof. Bring her to Neverland sometime!" Peter said.  
  
"Corita wouldn't be too jealous. She never liked heights. I bet flying wouldn't be much different." Goofy said.  
  
"You guys are right." Sora said, turning back towards them. "If you believe, anything's possible, right? I'll find them. I know I will." He said as he turned away from them once again.  
  
Tinker Bell flew towards Peter with blinding speed, nearly knocking Donald over.  
  
"What's that, Tink? What about the clock tower? You say there's something there?" Peter asked her.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Look at this, you guys! I'm doing it! I'm doing it!" Donald said merrily as he swerved between them through the air.  
  
"How much longer, Peter? I'm getting tired!" Goofy called to him.  
  
"Just a little bit farther!" called Peter. Tinker Bell had given Peter Pan a simple message: 'There's something at the clock tower.' So, they were flying far above the city, searching for the clock tower called Big Ben.  
  
"I see it!" Sora said as he pointed out a tall pointed tower rising high above the city below.  
  
"That's it, all right!" Peter said as he descended slowly downward to the tower. Above the actual clock was a rather large ledge, so they came to rest here. Goofy flopped on the ground, panting.  
  
"So...what's here that's so important?" Donald asked.  
  
"Wendy!" Peter Pan said joyfully as he flew towards the same young girl in a blue dress they had called to in the room on the ship, and who they had seen Peter fly off with. "You're safe! I knew you'd make it out okay!"  
  
"I'm fine, thank you. Who are your friends?" Wendy asked politely.  
  
"This is Sora, Goofy, and Donald." Peter said as he pointed to each of them in turn.  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you." Wendy said.  
  
Peter and Wendy began to talk, and Sora, Donald, and Goofy were left with little to do but circle the clock tower a bit to let off some energy. After they'd circled the tower for the 12th time, Donald spoke.  
  
"Hey...one of the clocks is off!"  
  
"Really? Which one?" Sora asked.  
  
"This one! It's 15 minutes behind the others!"  
  
"You're right!" Goofy said after he'd checked the other clocks. "What do you want to do?"  
  
"Do you have to ask?" Sora said with a slight smile as he lifted his Keyblade into the air. With 3 quick slashes, Big Ben's time was set again. From somewhere deep inside the clock, a bell began to ring.  
  
"Midnight." Sora said softly as the clock in front of them began to glow brightly.  
  
"Is it supposed to do this?" Donald asked as beams of light surrounded the clock and merged together on a small spot on it's face. The light faded quickly, however, and a small keyhole shone out through the darkness of the pitch-black night.

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"It was reckless to bring them her without at least using a vessel." Maleficent said coldly as Riku kneeled in front of her, trying to catch his breath. "Remember, relying too heavily on the dark powers could cost you your heart." Her cruel voice echoed in the large stone chamber where they were. Behind them, a soft noise averted Riku's attention away from Maleficent.  
  
"A castaway." She said to Riku. " Though his world perished, his heart did not. When we took the princess from his castle, he apparently followed her here through sheer force of will. But fear not. No harm will come to you. He is no match for your power."  
  
"My power?" Riku asked.  
  
"Yes, the untapped power that lies within you." Maleficent said softly. "Now, child, it's time you awaked that power, and realized your full potential!"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Peter, are you really going back to Neverland?"  
  
"Afraid so." Peter said sadly. "But, we can see each other any time! As long as you don't forget about Neverland, that is." He added as he held Wendy's hands in his. Donald was busy trying to suppress his wild laughter. Tinker Bell flew over to Donald, Sora, and Goofy and began flying around Sora's head.  
  
"Aw, boy! She's getting steamed again!" Peter said. "Do me a favor. Look after her for a while, will you?"  
  
"What?" Sora said, suprised.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
It was very dark and damp in the room. No light pierced through the stone walls, even though they were severly cracked. Several chains lay motionless on the ground, rusted from years of sitting in the damp darkness. Shaking her head slightly to move her hair out of her face, Corita tried to stare through the darkness for a single shred of light. However, she closed her eyes again and rested against a wall. She felt dizzy and weak, and couldn't remember what happened. Trying to remember, she opened her eyes and stared straight ahead.  
  
Suddenly, it came back to her. Then, a single thought ran through her exhausted mind:  
  
She was going to kill Sora for dragging her along on this stupid journey.  
  
---Sora53: Aw, so much siblingly love between Sora and Corita!  
  
Riku Fangirls: have melted  
  
Sora53: Get up!  
  
Fans: That was so...wonderful. We're giddy.  
  
Sora53: Wasn't it? ---


	36. Dreams and Fantasies

---Sora53: Yay! I updated soon!  
  
Fans: sniff We're so proud!  
  
Riku Fangirls: Riku?  
  
Sora53: Sure.  
  
Riku Fangirls: YAY!!!---  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own Kingdom Hearts, but I own Corita. Even though there isn't much of her in this chapter...

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"Well, we found the Navi-Gummi. Let's get back to town." Donald said as he carefully steered the Gummi Ship among the large obstacles in space.  
  
"Yeah, I'm sure Cid'll be happy to install it for us." Sora said as he flipped through the pages of "Mermaid Kick - Kick like a Mermaid!" without interest.  
  
"Here Sora, look at this one!" Goofy said, handing him a third small booklet. This one had a deep green color with the words, "Glide - Glide through the air!" written on it in golden letters.  
  
"Another instruction manual?" Sora asked curiously as he took it from Goofy. "Where'd you get it?"  
  
"Peter Pan gave it to me before we left Neverland."  
  
"Why didn't you mention it before?"  
  
"I guess I just forgot about it. Lots of other things happened." Goofy said quietly.  
  
Sora leaned back in his chair and began reading the instruction manual in silence. With a quick look at Goofy, Donald continued steering the Gummi Ship. Goofy sat in his chair, twiddling his thumbs.  
  
Before Neverland, they'd never really realized how much Corita talked. Now that she was gone, no one was arguing with Donald. No one talked merrily with Sora, and no one laughed at Goofy's jokes. The whole ship was filled with an eerie quiet.  
  
Finally, Donald broke the silence about a half hour later.  
  
"We're here."  
  
The three of them shuffled off the Gummi Ship and through the gates to Traverse Town. Walking along in pure reticence, they made their way to where Cid stood.  
  
"Hey there, guys!" He called cheerfully towards them as they approached. "Wait a minute...aren't we missing one? Where's Corita?"  
  
The three of them exchanged dark looks.  
  
"She's...making sure the hotel is okay!" Donald said quickly. Cid stared at them for a moment.  
  
"Okay...so, I imagine you need me to insall another gummi?"  
  
"Yes, please." Sora said, holding it out to him.  
  
"No problem. I'll get this hooked up in no time. Just wait here." Cid said as he walked towards the gate of the city.

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"Sora!" Donald cried as Sora stood in front of them, head hanging sadly.  
  
"Now, just remember what Donald said to ya." Goofy said. "No frowning, so sad face. Okay?"  
  
"How can you be so cheerful? There's still no sign of your king!" Sora said sadly. "Aren't you worried?"  
  
"Aw, phooey." Donald said, clearly not keen to discuss the topic.  
  
"The king told us to go out and find the key bearer, and we found you. So as long as we stick together, it'll all work out okay. Ya just gotta believe in yourself, that's all!" Goofy said cheerfully.  
  
"Just believe..." Sora whispered to himself, closing his eyes. A soft, familiar voice rang in his ear, "I believe in you."  
  
"Huh?" Sora said to himself, looking around wildly. However, Donald and Goofy were gone. He was floating in the air, surrounded by large bookcases and chairs. In front of him, an old lady sat near a tall, winding staircase.  
  
"Where am I?" Sora thought to himself as a small, red-headed girl ran to the old lady. As Sora was puzzling this, the old lady began to speak to the little girl.  
  
"Long ago, people lived in peace, bathed in the warmth of light. Everyone loved the light. Then people began to fight over it. They wanted to keep it for themselves. And darkness was born in their hearts. The darkness spread, swallowing the light and many people's hearts. It covered everything, and the world disappeared. But small fragments of light survived...in the hearts of children. With these fragments of light, children rebuilt the lost world. It's the world we live in now. But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness. That's why the worlds are still scattered, divided from each other. But someday, a door to the innermost darkness will open. And the true light will return. So, listen, child. Even in the deepest darkness, there will always be a light to guide you. Believe in the light, and the darkness will never defeat you. Your heart will shine with its power and push the darkness away. Do you understand, Kairi?"  
  
Sora, returning from the deep thought the story had provoked in him, came crashing back to reality with the word 'Kairi.'  
  
"Kairi?!" He said, but his voice made no sound. He tried to reach for the little girl, but he was swallowed by another bright light.  
  
"Sora!" came a familiar, bossy voice.  
  
"Are you okay?" Goofy said as he poked Sora in the shoulder. "What happened?"  
  
"N-nothing." Sora said. "Kairi...did you call me?"

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"Well, I installed that Navi-Gummi for ya." Cid said as he appoached them later. "But, I've gotta warn you guys. That place is swarming with Heartless. Don't say I didn't warn you."  
  
Sora, Donald, and Goofy exchanged puzzled looks.  
  
"You three ought to get to bed. I bet Corita's still down at the hotel."  
  
"Yeah, she is. C'mon, guys, let's go." Donald said, dragging Sora and Goofy with him.  
  
Hotel Corita seemed strangly empty. Not even the Heartless had invaded it in their absence. Lying down on their beds, not one of them could fall asleep.  
  
"Well, at least I don't have to pay tonight, do I?" Donald said in a falsely cheery voice.  
  
"Yeah, I guess not." Sora said glumly. He had his noise buried in "Glide - Glide through the air!" for the third time that night.  
  
"Sora, don't you think you've gotten the gist of gliding yet?" Goofy said as he tugged the instruction manual out of the Key Bearer's hands.  
  
"Yeah, I guess you're right." Sora said as he turned off his bedside lamp. Donald and Goofy did the same, and the room was quiet.

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"Hey, Sora." Riku said to his friend.  
  
"Hmm?" Sora asked, turning away from the large wooden door in the Secret Place.  
  
"When we grow up, let's get off this island. We'll go on real adventures, not this kid stuff!" Riku said boldly.  
  
"Sure. But isn't their anything fun to do now?" Sora asked as they turned to leave.  
  
"Well, we could always pick on Corita. That's always fun."  
  
"Naw, that's gotten old. She throws coconuts back now when we throw them at her." Sora said simply.  
  
"Hey, you know the girl at the mayor's house? She arrived on the night of the meteor shower!" He said as he continued out the door. Behind him, however, Riku had stopped. He was staring at something on the door. Something that glowed with an eerily bright light. Something that looked very familiar...  
  
"SORA!! WAKE UP!" Donald cried, banging a pot and pan together. YOU'VE SLEPT FOR OVER 12 HOURS...UP UP UP!!!"  
  
Sora sat up quickly, covering his ears while Donald yelled at him. If only he'd stayed asleep for a few more moments...  
  
"C'mon, hurry up, sleepy head! We're going shopping!" Goofy said as he searched through his munny bag.  
  
"We're running low on everything!" Donald said. "We've got to go soon! Who knows what'll happen if we don't?"  
  
"We'll sleep some more." Sora said grumpily as he pulled the covers back over his head.

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"YAY!!! YOU'RE BACK!" Huey, Dewey and Louie said as Sora, Donald, and Goofy walked into their store. The three duckling hopped happily around the room, and then stood at their posts, trying to look dignified.  
  
"Welcome to our store." Louie said in a powerful voice. "Today, we have specials on...wait. Where's Corita?"  
  
Sora, Goofy, and Donald exchanged dark looks.  
  
"She's still at the hotel." Sora said firmly, looking at a shelf of ethers.  
  
After buying their supplies, the three of them hurried out of the store, the ducklings waving them off. "Good luck!"  
  
"Don't die!"  
  
"Say hi to Corita for us!"  
  
"Great. Even my own family likes her more than me." Donald said, his arms bulging with ethers.

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---Sora53: Oh, poor Donald. No one likes him.  
  
Fans: What's with Sora? He's having weird dreams and fantasies...maybe he'll finally get admitted into the crazy person home!  
  
Sora53: Grr....  
  
Fans: Meep! hides  
  
Sora53: Can you guess what happens on June 7th? It's a big day!  
  
Fans: Ummm....I dunno.  
  
Sora53: I'll leave you hanging them :P ---


	37. Escape from the Dungeon

---Sora53: Yes, new chapter. This one's nice and long, so It'll keep you all happy.  
  
Fans: WHAT HAPPENS ON JUNE 7TH?!  
  
Sora53: Oh, so you ARE interested?  
  
Fans: No...we're just...bored.  
  
Sora53: Well, it's the 1 year mark of when I started writing this ficcy! Yay! I never actually thought I'd make it to Hollow Bastion...---  
  
Disclaimer: I still only own Corita. Kingdom Hearts isn't mine. Meh.  
  
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Waking up again after a short sleep, Corita carefully stood up and tried to look around again, but the darkness hurt her eyes. Feeling with her hands, she bumped into what felt like a small chair and table, and some damp books on the ground. In front of the chair, two soft yellow lights glowed.  
  
Relief washed over her. At least there was some source of light in the room.  
  
Suddenly, Corita felt like her heart had stopped beating. Hadn't she seen eyes like those enough times to reconize them? Reaching for her staff, she lit the wooden chair on fire, and a soft light filled the room. Corita was standing in a small stone room, circular all around. Scattered among it were various objects, such as a small toppled bookcase, the old table in the center of it, and chains attached to the walls. Behind the table, a Shadow Heartless stood there, it's annentea twitching excitedly.  
  
"FIRE!" Corita cried, hurling a large shot of fire across the room towards it. The Heartless vanished in an instant, and Corita was left alone in the room.  
  
"Oh, where am I?" Corita moaned, sitting against a wall.  
  
"I do believe we're in Hollow Bastion, if my memory serves me correctly."  
  
Corita's stretched nerves seemed to snap at the sound of another voice. A familiar voice. However, this one wasn't cruel or evil. It was happy and inviting, full of joy. And she knew the voice well...  
  
"Jiminy?" Corita said, startled. Jiminy hopped up to Corita's knee and stood there as Corita looked at him in disbelief.  
  
"You're here? How did you get here?" Corita asked him.  
  
"Well, I knew you wouldn't want to be in that room on the ship alone, so I hopped into your pocket when you weren't looking. Convenient, eh?"  
  
"Where did you say we were?"  
  
"Well, I believe I heard that creepy silver-haired boy talking about taking you and another girl to Hollow Bastion, so I believe this is the place."  
  
"What do they want with me? I thought Sora was the one they're after!"  
  
"Never trust a silver-headed creep." Jiminy said wisely, hopping off her knee and onto the ground. "Now, I think that if I can find a weak spot in this wall, we can break out."  
  
"What is this place? Some sort of dungeon?"  
  
"Exactly. A creepy, tall lady with a black cloak told that other creepy person to 'put her in the dungeon until we have all of them.' Whatever that means. I'll look around for a weak spot, you just wait there!" Jiminy hopped off towards the other side of the room, leaving Corita deep in thought. Riku had brought her...and another girl? Could it be Kairi?  
  
Something else sat in her mind. In Agrabah, hadn't Jafar said that she could prove useful to them? What did it mean, 'all of them?' Nothing was adding up. Corita picked up one of the books on the ground and started to read it with little interest.  
  
"To cast a 'Stop' spell, first you must concentrate on rendering the target immobile. This is an immensly complex spell that only the greatest mages should ever attempt."  
  
Corita was reading with a much greater interest now.  
  
"In order to do this spell, you must first..."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"This is driving me crazy!" Sora said, banging on the Gummi Ship's steering wheel.  
  
"Sora, calm down!" Donald cried, tugging him away from the controls.  
  
"None of this is making any sense! Riku used to talk to me, why can't he now? He could at least tell me what's going on!"  
  
"Sora, sometimes things just don't make sense. Sometimes you've just gotta wait and see how things turn out."  
  
"...I guess you're right." Sora said calmly, sitting back in his chair. He decided to interest himself in putting the new keychain Peter Pan had given him onto his Keyblade.  
  
"Ohh, purdy!" Goofy said as the Keyblade changed form.  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"Corita!" Jiminy called as he hopped back to her. "This dungeon is so old, I managed to find a couple of really large cracks! Come with me!"  
  
Corita stepped behind the cricket carefully as he lead her across the dungeon. Next to the bookshelf, there was a large crack in the wall. Some of the stone surrounding it had already started to crumble.  
  
"This is great, Jiminy!" Corita said. "Just one thing. How do we get through it?"  
  
"Well, you can do magic, right? Just cast your strongest spell to break it down!"  
  
"Okay..." Corita said. "Now...which spell is my best...I'm not really the best at black magic..."  
  
"I seem to remember a while back a giant juggling Heartless being hit in the face with a strong blizzard spell." Jiminy said, winking.  
  
"You're right!" Corita said, turning to face the crack perfectly.  
  
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"Gawrsh, look at that!" Goofy said, pointing up to the new world they'd landed at. It appeared to be a giant castle, floating on water. Behind it, the sun was setting, creating a beautiful red glow all over the castle.  
  
"I feel like I know this place..." Sora said softly, staring transfixed at the castle.  
  
"Hmm, that's strange." Goofy said to Sora.  
  
"I wonder why... I feel this warmth inside, right here." Sora said, putting his hand near his heart.  
  
"Aw, you're just hungry." said Donald.  
  
"Hey, I'm serious!" Sora yelled.  
  
Suddenly, a loud roar shattered their conversation. It quickly dimmed, but the three of them were still left in a state of slight shock.  
  
"Let's go." Sora said in a determined voice. "Kairi and Corita are up there, somewhere."  
  
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------  
  
"What is this place?" Corita muttered, running through a large passageway, holding Jiminy in her hands ahead of her.  
  
"Well, I don't mean to be a burden, but I have no clue where we are, either." Jiminy said as he scribbled in his journal. "By the way, what happened in the ship between you and Riku?"  
  
"Write in the journal later, Jiminy." Corita said through gritted teeth. "Hey, there's a light ahead!"  
  
Turning a corner, they found a large bubble floating in the passageway. It cast a dim light and it gently moved up and down.  
  
Jiminy turned to Corita. "Oh, this is brilliant! I've heard of these bubbles before!"  
  
"Really?" Corita asked.  
  
"Yes! They're really hi-tech teleportation portals! Just jump in one and It'll teleport you somewhere!"  
  
"Teleportation portal?" Corita asked. "Whatever you say...wait, how am I supposed to breathe?"  
  
"Just jump in!" Jiminy said, and Corita obeyed.  
  
At first, Corita thought she hadn't jumped at all. Then, she was jerked forward, under a large gate behind them, and upwards. Looking up, Corita saw the welcoming light of the sun. Reaching the surface, they broke free of the bubble and observed their new surroundings.  
  
"Haha! I told you!" Jiminy said with a triumphant look on his face.  
  
"Jiminy..." Corita said, looking down. "Why are we standing on water?"  
  
Jiminy peered over the edges of Corita's hands. "Hey, you're right! This is so cool!"  
  
They were in a large, open area where they was water all around them. Even the walls were backwards waterfalls ("Amazing! They defy the laws of physics!" Jiminy said, scribbling in his journal.) and various pieces of debris were scattered across the water.  
  
"Let's go over there. There's solid stone to stand on." Corita said, peering uneasily down at the water she was standing on.  
  
"Good idea! Hey, what's this thing?" Jiminy asked as they approached the stone slab.  
  
It was a stone pillar about Corita's height. The top of it was hollowed and pointed, and inside of the hollow area was a bright blue light.  
  
"Ooh...it's beautiful..." Corita said, hypnotized by the light. Slowly, she reached out to touch it.  
  
"Corita, don't do anything stupid!" Jiminy said, scurrying down her arm to her shoulder. Corita's fingers made contact with the light, and they were instantly surrounded by a large glowing platform. They were then being pulled upward by a cable of light, and made their way to a platform high in the sky.  
  
"Huh?" Corita said, tearing her eyes away from the light of the statue. "Where are we now?"  
  
They were standing at a corner of two pathways. One led to an extremly large door at the far end, and the other led to a large steel gate that lay open. Beyond it, another statue sat twinkling in the setting sun.  
  
"Ah, I thought I'd never feel the sun again!" Corita said happily.  
  
"C'mon, let's go!"  
  
"Where exactly are we going, anyway?" Corita asked curiously.  
  
"We're going to find a way out of this castle, even if we die trying!"  
  
"You know..." Corita said slowly. "I haven't seen many Heartless. Where are they all? If Riku's here, I'd guess there'd be a ton of them."  
  
"Got me." Jiminy said, shrugging his shoulders. "Let's go this way." He said, pointing to the large open steel gate. "Maybe that statue will teleport us somewhere else.  
  
Making their way to the statue and touching it again, they found themselves being carried down by another platform. This ride took a longer than the first one, but they eventually crossed a large body of water and landed on a large stone platform.  
  
"Look! We must be above where we were before!" Corita said, pointing to the waterfalls making their way up the slopes.  
  
"Oh my gosh! Corita, look down there!" Jiminy said, pointing to a group of small figures moving up along the platforms that were slowly rising and sinking.  
  
"It's Sora!" Corita cried.  
  
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---Sora53: Yay! Corita and Jiminy escaped the evil dungeon of doom! I tried to make it so you guys would have some kind of idea where they were in the castle...  
  
Fans: We're so confused!  
  
Sora53: Meh. Anyway, I hope you liked the chappie! More coming as soon as I get around to typing it.--- 


	38. The Keyblade's new master

---Sora53: Ooh!!! This chapter is full of 'dun dun dun!!!' moments!!!  
  
Fans: Whoo!!!  
  
Sora53: Yup yup. It's the chappie you've all been waiting for! Well, not really. But it is...CHAPTER 38!!! I need a life.....  
  
Fans: Yes, you do.  
  
Sora53: You're so mean!!---  
  
Disclaimer: Does anyone even read this anymore? I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but I own Corita. Oh, wow, that's old...  
  
Corita, ignoring the platforms moving slowly up and down, had only one thought on her mind. Hopping down from platform to platform, she slowly climbed down towards a large platform near the middle of the area. Sora, Goofy, and Donald were almost there as well. Corita, however, had failed to notice that someone else was on the platform...  
  
"No vessel, no help from the Heartless... So tell me, how'd you get here?" a cold, cruel, familiar voice said, cutting through the cool air. Hearing the voice, Corita scurried behind a large pillar and peeked out from behind it. She could see Riku, turned to speak to someone. The other person was covered by another stone pillar, blocking him from view.  
  
"I simply believed. Nothing more to it." Came a gruff voice, full of quiet anger. "When our world fell into darkness, Belle was taken from me. I vowed I would find her again no matter what the cost. I believed I would find her. So, here I am. She must be here. I will have her back!" roared the one behind the pillar.  
  
"Take her if you can." Riku said, holding his sword ready.  
  
It happened in only a few seconds. From behind the pillar came a large, beast-like creature in purple robes, who attempted to tackle Riku to the ground. As Riku lifted his sword, Corita turned away, but nothing could cut out the cry the beast emitted after being slashed.  
  
"Stop!"  
  
Corita turned instinctivly towards her brother's voice. Sora, Keyblade in hand, and Donald and Goofy had just arrived on the platform, trying to catch their breath.  
  
Without thinking, Corita ran past Riku and right into her brother's arms.  
  
"Sora!" Corita cried with happiness. "I thought I'd never see you again!" "Corita?" Sora gasped, lifting her up. "You WERE here!"  
  
"But now's not the time!" Corita said, quickly composing herself after catching Donald's eye.  
  
"You're right." Sora said, pushing Corita out of his arms and turning to face Riku.  
  
"So, you finally made it." Riku said softly. "About time. I've been waiting for you." He stopped for a moment to cast his eye over the group. "We've always been rivals, haven't we? You've always pushed me, as I've always pushed you."  
  
"Riku..." Sora began softly.  
  
"But it all ends here." Riku said, cutting him off. "There can't be two Keyblade masters."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Sora asked.  
  
"Let the Keyblade choose...it's true master!" Riku cried, lifting his hand into the air.  
  
For a moment, nothing happened. Then, the Keyblade that Sora had been holding began pulling away from him, trying to get to Riku. Sora resisted and pulled it back, but the Keyblade vanished in a bright flash and materialized in Riku's hands.  
  
"Maleficent was right." Riku said in awe, staring at the Keyblade. "You don't have what it takes to save Kairi. It's up to me. Only the Keyblade master can open the secret door...and change the world."  
  
"But...that's impossible!" Sora cried, staring at Riku in disbelief. "I'm the one who fought my way here with the Keyblade!"  
  
"You were just the delivery boy." Riku said coldly, staring back at his old friend. "Sorry, you're part's over now. Here, go play hero with this."  
  
Riku tossed a small wooden sword he and Sora had often fought with on the Destiny Islands to Sora's feet.  
  
Casting one last look at Corita, he turned to walk off. Sora fell to his knees, and Corita kneeled down with him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.  
  
"Goofy, let's go. We have to remember our mission." Donald said, starting to follow Riku.  
  
"Oh! Well, I know the king told us to follow the key and all... But..." Goofy said sadly, staring back at the twins and turning to follow Donald.  
  
"Sora, sorry." Donald said as he slowly made his way towards Riku.  
  
Sora, leaning back on his knees, stared at his sister. Corita quickly wiped a tell-tale tear out of her eye and gave a slight smile.  
  
"Well, at least we're not alone, right?" She said to cheer Sora up.  
  
Behind them, a loud groan interrupted them. The Beast had tried to move, but he simply slumped back to the ground.  
  
"Hey, don't move, you're hurt!" Sora said, leaping up and running over to him.  
  
"Why... Why did you...you come here? I came to fight for Belle. And though I am on my own, I will fight. I won't leave without her. That's why I'm here." The Beast said, slowly getting up.  
  
Sora let these words sink in for a moment, them walked over to the wooden sword Riku had given him.  
  
"Me, too. I'm not gonna give up now." He said, picking up the sword. "I came here to find someone very important to me."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
"WHAT?!" Maleficent roared as Riku covered his ears to drown out some of the sound. The yell came so loud some of the stone began to fall from the walls of Maleficent's chamber.  
  
"I thought you were watching them all very carefully!" Maleficent said, glaring at Riku.  
  
"I was! She's just too crafty for her own good." Riku answered quietly.  
  
"Oh! Fine, then. We'll see what happens without her. After all, it was just a precaution." Maleficent said, turning away from Riku.  
  
"Go and deal with the boy. If that castaway is with him, kill them both. If the girl is still with them, bring her here. No messing up this time!" Maleficent called to Riku's retreating back.  
  
Meanwhile, Donald and Goofy were waiting outside Maleficent's chamber.  
  
"Ya know, that Riku isn't nearly as nice as Sora or Corita were." Goofy said to Donald.  
  
"Ssh! I'm trying to hear what they're saying..." Donald said, one ear to the thick stone door. The door was suddenly pushed open, and Donald crashed to the ground.  
  
"You two! If you're going to follow me, please be useful." Riku sighed as he walked down a long stone stairway. "We've got a mission..."  
  
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"He kidnapped you? Why did he do that?" Sora asked as he, Corita, and the Beast clambored up the steep slopes Cortia had just climbed down. The platforms kept moving quickly, so each sentence was often interrupted by a jump.  
  
"No idea." Corita said quickly. Sora looked at her, plainly showing that he didn't believe her.  
  
"Well...it's just that...strange things have been happening." Corita said truthfully. "Like in Agrabah. Jafar said I could be useful, and when that Heartless tried to grab me, and when you summoned Simba..."  
  
"JUMP! I know...I just don't understand it either."  
  
"JUMP! Well, we've reached the top. I guess we can milk the answers out of Riku later."  
  
The three of them stood on the platform as they rose through the air towards the castle slowly. Sora was staring at the castle, the Beast was standing apart from them in silence, and Corita stared at Sora.  
  
"What is it, Sora?"  
  
"It's just...nothing." Sora said, looking away from the castle looming ahead.  
  
"What? Tell me!" Corita demanded.  
  
"Corita, look at the castle." Sora said simply. Corita turned her head away from him to stare up at the magneficent stone castle.  
  
"Doesn't it look...familiar somehow?" Sora asked her. Corita simply stood in awe of the place. True, it did seem familiar...  
  
"Nothing makes sense." Corita said gruffly, turning away from the castle and staring down at the platform.  
  
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---Sora53:Yay! I'm not alone! Nothing makes sense to me either!!!  
  
Fans: That's obvious.  
  
Sora53: YOU'RE SO MEAN! YOU'RE FIRED!!!  
  
Fans: Muahaha! We have a life contract!  
  
Sora53: NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!--- 


	39. The Keyblade's true master

---Sora53: -hands you a balloon- ONE YEAR MARK!!!  
  
Fans: YAY!  
  
Sora53: Wait...you're...happy for me?  
  
Fans: Yep! We might as well be nice one day of the year... :)---  
  
Disclaimer: I still, after a year of writing, don't own Kingdom Hearts. Yet, after a year, I've still managed to keep Corita!  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
"We're lost!" Corita moaned as she leaned against a stone wall in the darkness. The three of them, trying to find their way through the castle, had wound up in a large, dark passageway unfamiliar to any of them. Even Corita, who had been in the depths of the castle before, couldn't recall this area.  
  
"No, we're not! We took the bubble down to the bottom of the castle, took another bubble at the left, and-"  
  
"Wound up lost!" Corita said, cutting Sora off.  
  
"We're not lost yet." The Beast said gruffly as he examined a metal gate next to Corita. "I think I can knock this gate down."  
  
"Really?" Corita said, moving away from the gate.  
  
"Back up a bit more." The Beast said to Sora and Corita. After they had backed away, the Beast swung his giant claws towards the rusty gate. The gate collapsed instantly, and the Beast entered the newly opened hallway.  
  
"This way." He said, leading them forward.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
"Okay, Corita. THIS is what we'd call being lost."  
  
Sora, Corita, and the Beast were in another passageway, surrounded by dripping water. They had been walking down the path for what seemed like an hour.  
  
"No, we're not lost!" Corita said brightly as she pushed past her brother and the Beast. "I know where we are! This is the path Jiminy and I took after we escaped the dungeon!"  
  
"Are you sure?" Sora asked.  
  
"Positive!" Corita said, turning a corner. "Look! Here's the dungeon!"  
  
Sora and the Beast turned the corner and saw a large stone wall with a huge hole blown in it. Bits of ice still scattered the ground. Sora looked at Corita in disbelief.  
  
"You did this? With one spell?"  
  
"Yup!" Corita said proudly. "Now, I remember that when Jiminy and I made it out of the depths of the castle, there was a large gate that we didn't take. Maybe we need to go through there!"  
  
"Lead the way!" Sora said merrily.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
"Why did we let you lead the way?" Sora growled to Corita. Corita, having taken a wrong turn, led them down a wrong passageway. They were now stranded in a large room, and a pack of Heartless Shadows were slowly surrounding them.  
  
"Stupid wooden sword." Sora muttered under his breath as he looked at the wooden toy.  
  
"Leave everything to me, little brother!" Corita said as she lifted her staff. "THUNDER!"  
  
Forked bolts of lightning emitted from a large stormcloud that had formed at the ceiling of the room. Several Heartless vanished, but some continued to circle them.  
  
"Allow me." The Beast said as he swept a huge claw across the room, flinging the Heartless back into the darkness. After the Heartless had been defeated, Corita and Sora continued to explore the room, while the Beast looked ahead at them moodily. Suddenly, his gruff voice rang out in the darkness.  
  
"Be on your guard. They're close, I can feel it. Are you ready for them?" The Beast asked. Sora and Corita turned to look at him. It was quiet for a moment, but the Beast suddenly jerked his head away from them.  
  
"Belle?" He cried, looking behind him into the doorway through which they had entered. Standing there was a beautiful young woman dressed in a beautiful yellow dress. However, after Sora and Corita had glimpsed her for only a few seconds, she vanished into darkness, and was replaced with a Shadow Heartless.  
  
The Beast began to tremble with rage. He leaped at the Shadow Heartless, and the door closed behind him with a thud.  
  
"Oh, no...this can't be good..." Corita said, turning to Sora.  
  
"Quit while you can."  
  
As Corita and Sora often did when they met Leon in Traverse Town, the two of them whirled around so fast they had to grab each other's arms to stop themselves from falling over. Behind them, Donald and Goofy were stationed like sentries next to Riku, whose eyes were twinkling with an evil light.  
  
"No. Not without Kairi." Sora said, determined.  
  
"The darkness will destroy you." Riku said. As he spoke, darkness engulfed him and his clothes changed from his normal, Destiny Island clothing into a dark, evil type of clothing. The Heartless symbol shone clearly on them.  
  
"You're wrong, Riku. The darkness may destroy my body, but it can't touch my heart. My heart will stay with my friends. It'll never die!" Sora said boldly.  
  
"Sora..." Corita whispered softly into his ear. "Don't do anything that'll get you blown up!"  
  
"I've got it under control." He whispered back.  
  
"Really..." Riku said softly. "Control this!"  
  
Riku, gathering dark energy in his hands, shot a blast of darkness straight at Sora. Mind racing, Corita reached out to help him, but she couldn't move...the darkness was coming closer...there was nothing she could do...after all they'd been through, this is how it was going to end...  
  
"Sora ain't gonna go nowhere!" rang a friendly, familiar voice. Corita found that she could move again, and suddenly realized what had happened.  
  
"You'd betray your king?" Riku sneered. Goofy's shield was still resting in front of Sora and Corita.  
  
"Not on your life!" Goofy called back to him from across the room. Corita faintly saw Donald roll his eyes. "But I'm not gonna betray Sora or Corita either, 'cause we've become best buddies after all we've been through together!" Goofy said triumphantly. "See ya later, Donald!" Goofy called to Donald. "Could you tell the King I'm really sorry?"  
  
"Hold on, Goofy! We'll tell him together!" Donald said as he ran across the room to them. He stopped right in front of Sora and Corita, and looked them straight in the eyes.  
  
"Well, you know..." Donald said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "All for one, and one for all."  
  
"I guess you two are stuck with us." Goofy said as he turned his head to face the three of them, shield still held in front of them.  
  
"Thanks a lot...Donald, Goofy..." Sora said as he hung his head in sadness.  
  
"How will you fight without a weapon?" Riku called from across the room.  
  
"I know now I don't need the Keyblade." Sora said, jerking his head up to look at Riku. "I've got a better weapon. My heart."  
  
Riku gave a soft chuckle. "Your heart? What good will that weak little thing do for you?"  
  
"Let me at him." Corita growled as she started toward Riku, but Sora held out his arm to stop her.  
  
"Although my heart may be weak, it's not alone." Sora started. "It's grown with each new experience, and it's found a home with all the friends I've made. I've become a part of their heart just as they've become a part of mine. And if they think of me now and then...if they don't forget me...then our hearts will be one." Sora unsheathed his wooden sword, and readied it for battle. "I don't need the Keyblade. My friends are my power!"  
  
In a flash of light, the Keyblade that Riku had been gripping vanished from his grasp. Gasping, Riku saw the wooden sword vanish from Sora's hands, and it was replaced by the Keyblade.  
  
"Fine..." Riku said as he whipped out his sword. "Show me the power of your heart!"  
  
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---Sora53: -with confetti falling around her with giant balloons- And, after a year, I can still write a short chapter and leave it at a cliffhanger!  
  
Fans: Why do we even bother?  
  
Sora53: BE NICE! -hands all the fans a giant slab of chocolate-  
  
Fans: Well...if you insist...  
  
Riku and Sora Fangirls: YAY!!! ONE YEAR MARK OF SORA AND RIKU!!!  
  
Sora53: The Sora and Riku Fangirls are getting along? This is getting creepy...--- 


	40. Acrophobia

---Sora53: -eats popcorn- Good chappie!  
  
Fans: No, this is a boring chapter! I bet you, the reader, would prefer something more interesting! -Turns on the History Channel-  
  
Sora53: -scream- NO! KNOWLEDGE! -faints-  
  
Fans: Ooh, free popcorn! -eats the popcorn----  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. Or the History Channel. I do own Corita. And this hairbrush! -holds up hairbrush-  
  
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A loud bang told the four friends that Riku's blade had just hit Goofy's shield. The bang also told them that it was time to move.  
  
"Scatter!" Donald cried as Riku's face appeared from behind the shield.  
  
Riku took a swing at Goofy, knocking him aside, revealing Sora, Corita, and Donald behind. Taking Donald's advice, the three of them ran off in different directions. Riku followed Sora up the winding staircase in the room, while Donald helped Goofy up. Corita, however, was racking her brain for something she'd remembered when they'd re-entered the dungeon she'd been in.  
  
"Let's see...first, I must imagine the target immobile." Corita muttered to herself, closing her eyes and concentrating hard on an immobile Riku, frozen in time. "Now, I must...."  
  
Whatever she was supposed to do next, she didn't have time to remember. At that exact moment, a sharp blade made a swipe inches from her face. Riku and Sora were locked in a duel feet in front of her. Riku was fighting with all his strength, and Sora looked like his strength was waning.  
  
"Sora! Let me help!" Corita called to him as she cast a cure spell her brother. Riku turned to face her with his aqua-tinted eyes.  
  
"Stay out of this." He growled as he turned to face her.  
  
"Oh, but I'm already in it. See, people just don't randomly kidnap me without my consent." Corita said sweetly as she charged a fire spell, and shot it at Riku. He managed to jump partially out of its path, but a bit of his hair was singed.  
  
"You'll pay for that!" Riku cried as he lifted his sword, but his blade was met with Sora's Keyblade, and the two of them continued their duel.  
  
"Gee, it's really just them two, isn't it?" Donald said as he walked up to Corita.  
  
"Well, Sora's got a lot to fight for." Corita said as she watched her brother slice at Riku. "Still, it doesn't mean we can't help..."  
  
Corita turned around and continued to concentrate on rendering Riku immobile. Donald turned and walked back to Goofy, who was counting his munny.  
  
"Concentrate...concentrate...concentrating usually workes..." Corita muttered to herself as she pointed her staff right at Riku. "Immobile..."  
  
Riku looked as if he'd been turned to stone. For a split second, it was as if he was frozen in time. As quickly as it had happened, though, it ended. Riku fell to the floor, allowing Sora to get a few quick attacks in.  
  
"YES!" Corita cried happily as she trotted back over to Donald and Goofy. "Did you see that?"  
  
"See what?" Goofy asked as he put his munny back into his pockets.  
  
Donald and Goofy, however badly they concentrated in the beginning, eventually got into the battle, even though they were still more in Sora's way than helping him. Eventually, Donald drew back, and he cast spells on Riku while Corita healed Sora. Goofy knocked Riku in the head with his shield a few times, but it was Sora who dealt him the finishing blow.  
  
"Now, the score's 47 to 2." Sora growled as he hit Riku with the Keyblade one final time. Riku slouched over in exhaustion, and the four of them drew back. Riku's clothes changed back to his normal clothes, and he ran off through a set of doors at the top of the staircase.  
  
"Hey, get back here, you coward!" Corita called after him, but didn't follow. At that moment, the large doors behind them creaked open, and the Beast emerged from behind them.  
  
"So, you're heart won this battle." The Beast said gruffly to Sora. Sora nodded, and the five of them continued up the stairs towards another large door.  
  
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Riku ran down the long corridor leading to Maleficent's chamber in agony. The cool air swept across his forehead as he raced down the long path.  
  
"Why? It was mine..."  
  
"Know this."  
  
Riku stopped abruptly and turned around to face a tall, cloaked figure about 20 feet away from him.  
  
"The heart that is strong and true shall win the Keyblade." He said, moving slowly towards Riku.  
  
"What? You're saying my heart's weaker than his?" Riku cried out to the mysterious figure.  
  
"For that instant, it was. However, you can become stronger. You showed no fear in stepping through the door to darkness. It held no terror for you. Plunger deeper into the darkness, and your heart will grow even stronger." Said the cloaked figure, who was inching towards Riku in the darkness.  
  
"What must I do?" Riku asked slowly after listening to the figure speak.  
  
"It's really quite simple. Open yourself to the darkness. That is all. Let your heart, your being, become darkness itself." The figure stopped in front of Riku, and a strange greenish light began to flow around Riku. Riku fell to the floor...  
  
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"Sora...this place...why does it look so familiar?"  
  
Standing in awe were Sora and Corita, who were standing in the middle of a large library, surrounded by huge shelves and dusty chairs. The books looked like they hadn't been read in ages, and a large spiraling staircase led to another floor of the library.  
  
"I don't know..." Sora said, stepping forward. Behind them, Donald was tapping his foot impatiently.  
  
"C'mon! Get the lead out! We've got to push forward!" He said briskly, pushing them both forward.  
  
They climbed the tall staircase and entered another door near another huge bookcase. Now, they were surrounded by large, old statues, various platforms, and a strange-looking device in the center of the room. Below them, they could see the room in which they'd fought Riku.  
  
"Where are we?" Goofy wondered.  
  
"I dunno..." Corita said, peering uneasily down to the room below and clinging to one of the statues.  
  
"Oh Mighty One...prove your strength by moving me!" Echoed a deep, booming voice in the darkness. With a jolt, Corita lept away from the statue and ran back to Sora.  
  
"Sora...did that statue just speak?" Corita whispered.  
  
"I think it did..." Sora said slowly. Donald rubbed his hands together and began shoving the statue as hard as he could. Goofy, Sora, and Corita soon jointed him, but it was a futile attempt.  
  
"Allow me." The Beast said as he moved to the statue and pushed it to the floor below. The statue shattered as it hit the floor, and stone pieces flew across the floor. However, right where the statue had hit lay a bright, colorful piece that appeared to also be made of stone.  
  
"I'll get it!" Sora said as he jumped off the side of the floor.  
  
"Sora!" Corita cried, but Sora stayed in the air. He floated through the air like a ghost until he reached the floor below them.  
  
"How did you do that?" Corita asked as he picked up the stone piece.  
  
"With just a little bit of pixie dust." He said merrily as he moved back towards the library.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
Corita whimpered slightly as they proceeded farther and farther up the winding castle. Below them were the waterfalls moving backwards, and the area that they had started at was only a tink speck in the distance.  
  
"Sora...couldn't Maleficent live somewhere...closer to the ground?" She moaned as they proceeded up another stone staircase.  
  
"Stay on your guard, Corita. There are worse things here than heights." Sora said simply, as he pulled her along. They had been traveling up the castle for almost an hour, and were very close to the top. Corita's fear of heights, however, had come back to haunt her as they made their way to the very top.  
  
"I'm telling you, though..." Corita said, pulling her eyes away from the steep cliffs they were climbing on.  
  
"This place seems so familiar...do you remember when we were in the Deep Jungle and we were watching that slideshow?"  
  
"Yeah...this place must be that castle!" Sora responded suddenly, nearly knocking Donald, who was in front of him, off the cliff.  
  
"Sora! Must you be so annoying?" Donald asked angrily as he hurried to stable ground.  
  
"You didn't seem to think he was annoying an hour ago." Corita said matter- of-factly to him. After hearing this, Donald was suddenly very quiet.  
  
"C'mon, you guys! We're almost to the top!" Goofy said cheerfully. "Look at this big door!"  
  
They had finished climing the cliffs and were now on a large stone platform. In front of them was a large stone door.  
  
"Goofy, do you remember where this door leads?" Donald asked him. Goofy thought for a moment.  
  
"Hey! This is the place that Riku fellar wouldn't let us into!" He said triumphantly.  
  
"He wouldn't let you in?" Sora asked. Donald and Goofy nodded.  
  
"Too bad for him. We're breaking in!" Corita said as the pulled at the large door's handle. Soon, all five of them were pulling, and the door opened with a groan.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
---Sora53: -Is still unconcious-  
  
Fans: -is eating popcorn- See ya next time!  
  
Sora53: Huh? Where am I?  
  
Fans: LOOK! E=MC SQUARED!  
  
Sora53: AHHH! -faints---- 


	41. The Mistress of all evil

---Sora53: Yay! I updated quickly!  
  
Riku Fangirls: Riku!  
  
Sora Fangirls: Sora!  
  
Fans: Time to kick some evil butt!  
  
Sora53: Ooh...something big happens in this chappie...muahahah!!!---  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but I own Corita. Haha! You don't! Wait, come back! You...must...review!!!  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
"So, I see the path has emerged at last." Riku said as he stepped up next to Maleficent. In front of them glowed a large multicolored keyhole. Riku's voice, however, was different somehow.  
  
"Yes. The Keyhole to the darkness." Maleficent said to Riku.  
  
"Unlock it and the Heartless will overrun this world."  
  
"What do I care? The darkness holds no power over me. Rather, I will use its power to rule all worlds." Maleficent said boldly.  
  
"Such confidence." Riku said as he lifted his hand. A flash of dark light surrounded it, and a Keyblade appeared in his hands. It was black, the handle was red, and the end of it was sharp. Riku held it to the Keyhole, but nothing happened.  
  
"Oh! Impossible! The princesses of heart are all here!" Maleficent cried as she looked at the walls around her. Several young women and girls were surrounding them.  
  
"Not all of them." Riku said as he lowered the Keyblade. "We're missing two important links. However, I know a way to get them both..."  
  
Behind them, a loud groaning sound drew them away from Riku's plans.  
  
"The king's fools are here. I'll deal with them myself. You stay here and guard the princesses." Maleficent said, moving away from him, towards the room behind them.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
"Does she REALLY need this long of a corridor until she reaches the main room?" Corita asked, panting as they ran up the long hallway.  
  
"I guess she wants to tire out people like us before we reach the main area." Sora said as they neared their destination. Finally, they slowed down and found themselves in a massive room, made entirely of stone. in the center was a large platform and a few torches shone feebly through the darkness.  
  
"I'm afraid you're too late." A taunting voice said. In front of them stood Maleficent, draped in black robes and carrying a large wooden staff. "Any moment now, the final Keyhole will be unsealed. This world will be plunged into darkness. It is unstoppable." She said, an evil look in her eyes.  
  
"We'll stop it!" Sora said as the group readied their weapons. "After coming this far, there's no way we're gonna let that happen!"  
  
"You poor, simple fools." Maleficent said softly as she walked onto the center platform. "You think you can defeat me? Me, the mistress of all evil!"  
  
The large platform began to rise suddenly as a blast of bright blue light filled the room. Maleficent was still standing on the platform that was above all five of them.  
  
"Let's go!" Sora said, running forward.  
  
"For Sora!" Corita cried.  
  
"For the King!" Donald and Goofy cried.  
  
"For Belle!" The Beast roared, lunging forward.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
A sharp pain in Sora's shoulder told him that he'd been struck by a thunder spell again.  
  
"Donald! Stop it!" Sora yelled out to him.  
  
"Sorry! It's hard to control!" Donald said, hitting his staff against the wall. "Stupid...useless..."  
  
"WATCH OUT!" The Beast roared, knocking Donald away from the wall as a dark spell hit where he had been moments before.  
  
"Wow...thanks!" Donald said gratefully to him. Meanwhile, Goofy was attacking Maleficent with Sora.  
  
"Pathetic fools!" Maleficent cried as she knocked Goofy off the platform. Sora ran behind her and hit her with the Keyblade a few times before being knocked off himself.  
  
"This is getting pretty tough..." Sora muttered to Donald. "Any suggestions?"  
  
"I'll strike her with magic, then when her guard's down, you, Goofy, and Beast attack her with regular attacks."  
  
"Great! Get Corita to help you, will you?" Sora said as he ran back into the fray.  
  
The strategy worked pretty well; Maleficent was severly damaged after a while. However, she started summoning huge groups of Heartless to ward off the attackers while she struck them with magic. After the Heartless had been defeated, however, Maleficent was left vunerable again. Finally, Maleficent fled into a dark portal, leaving the attackers to defeat the Heartless she'd left behind.  
  
"Where'd she go?" Sora cried, looking around.  
  
"She went in there!" Donald said, running towards the portal. He was followed by Sora and Goofy, but the Beast stayed for a moment. With a quick look over his shoulder and around him, he growled softly and moved towards the portal himself.  
  
For being the mistress of all evil, Maleficent was in pretty bad shape. Breathing hard, she moved forward into a huge room, even bigger than the last. Behind her, Riku appeared from the darkness.  
  
"Do you need some help?" He asked her, but was interrupted as Sora appeared behind him.  
  
"Riku!" Sora cried. Riku and Maleficent turned to face them.  
  
"Is that-" Donald began, staring at the weapon in Riku's hands.  
  
"Yes. A Keyblade." Riku said, holding up the dark weapon for them to see. "But unlike yours." He said to Sora. "This Keyblade holds the power to unlock people's hearts. Allow me to demonstrate." Riku said as he turned to Maleficent. "Behold!" He cried, thrusting the Keyblade into Maleficent's heart.  
  
"Wha-" Maleficent cried, staring at the Keyblade.  
  
"Now, open your heart, surrender it to the darkness! Become darkness itself!" Riku said with growing power. He then pulled the Keyblade out of Maleficent's heart, and vanished. Maleficent, however, began to glow with a bright green light.  
  
"This is it! This power! Darkness... The true darkness!" Maleficent roared with happiness as she erupted into a blast of green and black flames. After a few moments, the fires vanished, and a massive black dragon had appeared in Maleficent's place.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
The Dragon's massive feet caused shock waves whenever it moved, and its claws were more than enough to skewer anything that got in their way. The fire that came from its mouth was scorching even from far away, and it was extremly agile despite its giant size.  
  
Sora had lept onto the Dragon's back and began using his ability to throw his charged Keyblade at the Dragon's head. Donald stood at the sidelines, hurling magic spells at it's head. Goofy and Beast were trying to attack its head without being burned to a crisp.  
  
Angrily, the dragon spun around very quickly, almost throwing Sora off. The Beast was hit on the side by one of its feet, and was knocked to the floor. A massive shockwave rattled the stone room, and bits of the ceiling began to crumble. It seemed the Dragon no longer wanted to defeat them - it wanted to kill them.  
  
"Get up!" Goofy said encouragingly to the Beast, helping him onto his feet. Donald ran forward and handed him a potion, and ran out of the way again to safety. The battle was one of the longest and hardest they'd ever fought, and more than once one of them was knocked out. Eventually, however, the Dragon, who had been Maleficent, was very weak, as she'd already been weakened in the previous battle. The Dragon crumpled to the floor, and weak black and green flames surrounded it. Finally, only a bit of the Dragon remained.  
  
"How ironic." Riku said, stepping forward out of the darkness. He moved forward towards where the flames were quickly dying out. "She was just another puppet after all."  
  
"What?" Donald cried.  
  
"The Heartless were using Maleficent from the beginning." He said calmly, facing them. "She failed to notice the darkness in her heart eating away at her." He stepped on the last remains of the Dragon as the flames died. "A fitting end for such a fool." He said, smiling slightly as he turned away from them and vanished into the darkness. The group stood there for a few moments before they turned to exit the large room. Vanishing into the portal, they found themselves back in the Castle Chapel.  
  
Suddenly, Sora looked around wildly.  
  
"Why is it so quiet?"  
  
All of them began looking around, and finally Sora noticed something very important.  
  
"Corita's missing!"  
  
This wave of news washed over them and sunk in quickly.  
  
"Maybe she's still in the room we were in before!" Sora said hopefully, running back to the portal, expecting  
  
Corita to come through it, grinning happily.  
  
She didn't come through.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
---Sora53: MUAHAHAHAHA!! I'm so evil...  
  
Fans: Mmm...get to the next chapter!  
  
Sora53: Oh, I've dreaded the next chapter ever since I started this fanfic because I know what I want to do with it, but it'll be hard to do...  
  
Fans: WE WANT DEATH, DESTRUCTION, AND DARKNESS!!!!!!!--- 


	42. Sora's Sacrifice

---Sora53: Well, I did it. I finally got to write this chappie. I used to wonder if I'd ever make it this far!  
  
Fans: You did, and we're proud!  
  
Sora53: Really? YAY!  
  
Sora/Riku/Ansem/Anyone Fangirls: YAY! WE LOVE YOU, Sora/Riku/Ansem/Anyone!  
  
Sora53: So...many...fangirls...-dies-  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but I own Corita. MINE!!! -pokes Corita-  
  
"Corita!" Sora called out into the dimly lit chamber. His voice echoed around the room, but no answer came. Sora slumped against the cold stone wall, hanging his head. "Not again...how long has she been gone?"  
  
"She was here when we first started to fight Maleficent." Goofy said, looking around and scratching his head.  
  
"She wasn't here at the end." Beast said, and the three of them looked up at him. "I remember looking in this chamber after you three had gone through the portal. She wasn't here. You guys were too distracted with defeating Maleficent." Beast turned his head away from them. "She must've been taken when we first fought Maleficent."  
  
These new facts, and the fact that they'd been too distracted to notice Corita missing, slowly washed over them. They stood in silence for a brief time, until Sora stood straight up and led the group towards the entrance to a new hallway that had been opened.  
  
"C'mon, you guys. I think I know who took Corita."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
Sora, Donald, and Goofy entered the huge hallway (Beast had insisted on keeping guard outside.) It was a well-lit path with a large stairway leading to a platform ahead of them. The three of them walked slowly up the hallway, looking all around them. Suddenly, Donald stopped.  
  
"Sora...Goofy...what is that?" Donald asked weakly, pointing to the walls.  
  
Encased in a strong barrier was a familiar-looking young woman who appeared to be unconsious. After a moment, Sora suddenly remembered something.  
  
"Princess...Jasmine?" Sora said softly, stepping back. There were five others on the walls, all appearing to be unconsious.  
  
"Wasn't Princess Jasmine kidnapped in Agrabah?" Goofy asked slowly. Sora and Donald nodded their heads.  
  
"Let's keep moving." Sora said bravely, walking forward, followed by Donald and Goofy. They started slowly up one of the paths that led to the upper platform, and Sora caught a small glimpse of dark red hair.  
  
"She's here!" Sora cried, breaking into a run. Goofy and Donald followed him to the platform, but Goofy was knocked back by an invisible barrier.  
  
The platform they were now on was right in front of a huge, multicolored keyhole. Huge pieces of twisted metal and broken stone scattered the perimeter of the circular area. On an outside wall, sitting against a wall, was Corita. She appeared to be unconsious as well, but her head jerked slightly as Sora ran up the steps. The person in the center of the circle, however, was what Sora had been searching for since the beginning. Kairi lay on the floor, not moving at all. Sora ran up to Kairi instantly, not noticing Goofy.  
  
"Kairi!" Sora said as he ran to her. He kneeled on the ground next to her and shook her gently. "Kairi, Kairi! Open your eyes!"  
  
"It's no use." said a cold, cruel voice. Sora looked to where the voice had come from, and saw Riku sitting on top of a small ledge above the glowing keyhole, gripping his dark Keyblade in his hands. "That girl has lost her heart. She cannot wake up." Riku said in the same voice; a voice that wasn't his. Sora realized this suddenly, and stood up next to Kairi.  
  
"What? You're...not Riku..." He said slowly, Riku's words still ringing in his ears. Riku ignored this and lept lightly off the ledge.  
  
"The Keyhole cannot be completed so as long as the last Princess of Heart still sleeps." He said as he floated slowly down to Sora's level.  
  
"The princess..." Sora muttered to himself. "Kairi's a princess?" He asked Riku.  
  
"Yes, and without her power, the Keyhole will remain incomplete." Riku answered. "It is time she awakened."  
  
"Whoever you are, let Riku go! Give him back his heart!" Sora cried. Riku looked at him for a moment, and then spoke.  
  
"But first, you must give the princess back her heart." He said calmly.  
  
Suddenly, Sora felt a rush of pain surge through his body and up to his heart. Clutching his heart, Sora fell to his knees. "Sora!" Donald cried, moving closer to him.  
  
"Don't you see yet?" Riku asked, stepping towards them. "The Princess's heart is responding! It has been there all along. Kairi's heart rests within you!"  
  
"Kairi...Kairi's inside me?" Sora asked softly. A long silence followed this statement as this information sunk in.  
  
"I know all that there is to know." Riku said boldly, taking another step towards Sora and Donald.  
  
"Tell me. Who are you?" Sora called out, still clutching his heart in pain.  
  
"It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness." Riku cried out, still holding his dark Keyblade. He proceeded towards where Sora and Donald were. Donald daringly ran towards Riku/Ansem, but he was knocked away and thrown through the barrier where Goofy sat watching. Riku reached Sora and lifted his dark Keyblade over his head.  
  
"So, I shall release you now, Princess. Complete the keyhole with your power. Open the door, lead me into everlasting darkness!"  
  
Riku swung his Keyblade at Sora, but Sora heard something that gave him strength.  
  
"Sora!" Came Kairi's voice from somewhere inside him. Sora lifted his Keyblade in an instant, blocking Riku's attack.  
  
"Forget it." Sora growled as he pushed Riku back and stood up. "There's no way you're taking Kairi's heart!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --- "Shouldn't he move Kairi and Corita out of the way when he's fighting like that?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Apparantly not." Donald answered nervously. They were sitting on the edge of the magical barrier that blocked their way to the battle. Sora and Riku were locked in a fierce battle of light and dark.  
  
"Don't step on her!" Goofy called out to Sora when he stumbled and nearly hit Kairi.  
  
"I feel bad about Corita. None of us noticed that she was missing."  
  
"Have we EVER really been nice to Corita?" Goofy said sadly. The two of them sat in silence, watching the battle.  
  
Sora and Riku's battle continued for a very long time. Without Corita's healing spells, Sora was left with potions to heal himself. Riku's attacks were swift and unpredictable compared to Sora's.  
  
"Now witness true power!" Riku cried as he floated into the air and began to glow.  
  
"Great..." Donald said sarcastically as Sora was knocked back by an attack.  
  
"Open your heart to the darkness!" Riku bellowed as he lunged at Sora with his Keyblade. The two of them clashed and Riku was knocked down. Sora got in a few hits before Riku pulled himself up again.  
  
"That's the way to fight!" Goofy cheered.  
  
The battle raged for an extremely long time. Eventually, Sora and Riku were both worn out, but they kept fighting. Sora slashed Riku a few final times, and Riku slumped down and vanished into the darkness.  
  
"Riku!" Sora cried, reaching out for him, but quickly pulling his arm away. Donald and Goofy ran past him.  
  
"Sora! Sora, look!" Donald said.  
  
"The-the Keyhole!" Goofy cried, pointing to the glowing Keyhole. Sora walked up to it and held out his Keyblade, but nothing happened.  
  
"It won't work! The Keyhole's not finished yet!"  
  
"What can we do?" Sora wondered, putting away his Keyblade.  
  
"Maybe we've gotta go wake Kairi up." Goofy said simply, turning towards Kairi who was still resting in the middle of the room.  
  
"I think you're right. If we can free her heart...but...but how?" Sora wondered aloud, thinking hard. His eyes turned to the dark Keyblade that Riku had left behind.  
  
"A Keyblade that unlocks people's hearts... I wonder." Sora said, moving towards the dark Keyblade.  
  
"Sora! Hold on!" Goofy cried as Sora picked the dark Keyblade up off the floor.  
  
"No! Wait!" Donald cried as well. Sora observed the Keyblade carefully, and with a final bright smile at Donald and Goofy, thrust the Keyblade into his heart.  
  
Sora began to glow brightly with a brilliant light as the dark Keyblade vanished into seven brightly colored orbs. Sora fell to his knees as these orbs flew off in different directions. Six of them flew towards where the six young women were being held. One of them flew to Corita. They re- entered the people's bodies, and Corita began to slowly stirr.  
  
A single orb flew out of Sora himself, and this one flew towards Kairi. It entered her body, and she opened her eyes.  
  
"Sora!" Kairi and Corita cried as they ran to him. However, when they reached him, he'd vanished into countless tiny orbs of light. They floated gently towards the ceiling as the four of them watched.  
  
"Sora! Come back, Sora!" Donald cried as the orbs floated away from them.  
  
"What's... What's happening to me? Falling...falling...into darkness."  
  
"Sora...are you really..." Kairi said slowly and sadly. "No. He can't be. I won't let him go!"  
  
Behind them, a dark burst of light interrupted them. A tall man with silver hair and orange eyes was staring at them; it was Ansem.  
  
"So, you have awakened at last, Princess." He said to Kairi in a cruel, twisted voice. "The Keyhole is now complete. You have served your purpose. But now it's over."  
  
Ansem moved towards the four of them, but Donald, Corita, and Goofy readied their weapons.  
  
"Don't make another move!" Donald cried.  
  
"Do you think we can stop him all by ourselves?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Probably not. No harm in trying, right?" Corita said brightly. Before they got a chance to try, however, Ansem stopped walking. He seemed to be trying to move forward, but something was blocking his path.  
  
"Impossible!" Ansem muttered to himself.  
  
A transparant image of Riku appeared in front of Ansem. He was holding his arms out, blocking Ansem's path.  
  
"No...you won't use me for this!" Riku cried, still holding out his arms.  
  
"Riku!" Kairi called out to him.  
  
"You've got to run! The Heartless are coming!" Riku said to them as several Shadows appeared behind them. Kairi nodded, and the four of them turned to run.  
  
"What about the Keyhole?" Goofy asked as they ran.  
  
"Let's just get out of here!" Donald answered.  
  
Corita has stopped running, however. Ansem and Riku had vanished, leaving only an empty room except for a single Heartless. Something inside of her told her to run, though. The Heartless moved towards her slowly, but it didn't creep like a normal Heartless.  
  
"Corita, what the heck are you doing!?" Donald cried.  
  
"You guys go! I'll catch up!" She said, kneeling down to the Heartless's level.  
  
"Is that you...Sora?" Corita whispered softly, not daring to believe it. The Heartless gave a tiny nod, and held up something in its long claws. Corita looked at it, and saw that the Shadow Heartless was gripping a tiny, red Thalassa shell.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
---Sora53: Haha! I told you something would come of those Thalassa shells!  
  
Fans: Meh. You fooled us. -bows- All hail Sora53!  
  
Sora53: Yuppies! Well, I left it at a cliffhanger the past few times, so this time it wasn't as much of a cliffhanger...  
  
Sora/Riku/Ansem/Anyone Fangirls: -are all dead-  
  
Sora53: YAY! FINALLY!  
  
Fans: Takes out dark Keyblade UPDATE SOONER!  
  
Sora53: Meep! Hey...where'd you get that?  
  
Fans: Umm...eBay!  
  
Disclaimer: (again) I don't own eBay!--- 


	43. Connected Hearts

---Sora53: Yay! Long chappie! I guess.  
  
Fans: It had better be! -growl- -holds out dark Keyblade bought on eBay-  
  
Sora53: Hmm...there's lots of fan girls...you know what we need?  
  
Fans: What? -sigh-  
  
Sora53: FANBOYS! -opens door and hundreds of boys pour in-  
  
Fanboys: Kairi? Corita? Sora53?  
  
Sora53: ---  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, (or eBay...I guess) but I own Corita. I bet you're SO jealous!  
  
Corita peered down into the two yellow orbs that were staring up at her. Sora's anntenae twitched a little, and Corita gently picked him up. Having never held a Heartless before, Corita didn't realize how freezing cold they were. She held Sora carefully in her arms, but far enough away from her heart that she could be comfortable. He was still a Heartless, after all.  
  
"Sora, I'm sorry, but you truly are an idiot sometimes." Corita said to him as she walked out of the hall. "Couldn't you have done something else?" She asked. Sora shook his miniscule head, and they walked down the path they had come up.  
  
"Oh, this is going to take forever." Corita moaned as she looked at the long path they had climbed up for an hour. She stepped back and peered over the ledge of the platform she was on. Below, she could see nothing but darkness.  
  
"Sora, you owe me so much for this." She said nervously as she stepped up onto the railing. Gripping Sora's Thalassa shell in her icy cold hand, she looked down below one final time and lept off the edge.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
"Where is she?" Donald grumbled as he paced around the entrance hall. "If she isn't here in the next 17 seconds, we're leaving without her."  
  
"I can't leave them behind." Kairi said firmly, and Donald quickly shut his mouth. They waited in silence for a few more minutes until the main door creaked open, and Corita stepped through it.  
  
"Corita! You're alive!" Goofy cheered.  
  
"Yep!" Corita said with a slight grin on her face.  
  
"Where have you been? We've been waiting...CORITA! What's that in your arms?"  
  
All four of them peered down at what Corita was holding. Sora peered up at them with his huge yellow eyes.  
  
"Corita...I knew you were crazy, but you can't keep a Heartless as a pet!" Donald growled.  
  
"Yes, like I really want an evil creature who can steal my heart as a pet." Corita grumbled as she put Sora on the ground as she shivered slightly.  
  
"Wait...is that Heartless...Sora?" Kairi asked quietly. Corita nodded her head.  
  
"Uh oh!" Goofy cried as more Shadows surrounded them. Goofy, Donald, and Corita ran to battle with their weapons, but Kairi stayed behind.  
  
"This time, I'll protect you." She whispered to Sora as she guarded him from the other Heartless.  
  
"That's the last one!" Corita said as she, Goofy and Donald stopped fighting. Turning around, however, they saw a terrible sight.  
  
"Kairi!" Goofy called out. Kairi was kneeling over Sora, protecting him, but she was being attacked instead. As they ran to help her, a sudden burst of light shone out, knocking the Heartless away. In the blink of an eye, Sora was standing where he'd been moments before, holding Kairi in his arms.  
  
"Kairi, thank you." Sora said quietly, back to normal.  
  
"Sora..." Kairi said, looking up at him in awe.  
  
"Sora!" Corita, Goofy, and Donald cried. The happy reunion was interrupted, however, when they were once again surrounded by Shadows. As the four of them prepared to fight, a loud roar interrupted them.  
  
"Go! Now!" The Beast bellowed as he slashed at the Heartless.  
  
"Come with us!" Sora called to him.  
  
"I told you before, I'm not leaving without Belle." The Beast said firmly."Now, go! The Heartless are coming!"  
  
"All right. Let's get out of here." Sora said, leading them out of the castle.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
"This is the Gummi Ship, Kairi. Watch your step." Sora said as he boarded the Gummi Ship, followed by Kairi, Corita, Goofy, and Donald.  
  
"Wow, it's nice in here!" Kairi said merrily as she sat down in one of the seats. Goofy was driving this time, with Donald next to him in the cockpit. Donald had grumbled about this, but Goofy had convinced him to let Sora, Kairi, and Corita have some talking time to themselves.  
  
"You're lucky I'm not driving, Kairi. I like to do dive bombs...is it just me, or is it really cold in here?" Corita asked as she sat down, shivering.  
  
"You're still cold?" Sora asked her. Corita nodded.  
  
"Thanks to you...I'm going to to get a sweater, or blanket...hot chocolate...something..." Corita muttered as she entered the back room. After she came back with a warm blanket and three mugs of hot chocolate, they sat and caught up a bit.  
  
"Corita, what really happened during the battle with Maleficent?" Sora asked. Corita put down her mug and thought for a moment.  
  
"Hmm...I remember running into battle, getting hit a few times, healing you, and then..." Corita said, thinking hard. "I don't really remember anything past that. Everything went dark..."  
  
Kairi finished her hot chocolate and put the mug down. "You know, that last night on our island...I don't remember much from it either..."  
  
"Well, I guess some things are better forgotten...WHY IS IT SO COLD IN HERE? SORA!!" Corita cried as she pulled the blanket closer to her. "Why aren't you freezing cold?"  
  
Sora shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know...hey, it looks like we're here!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---  
  
"Tell me what happened." Leon said, peering down at Sora. They had arrived safely in Traverse Town, and had met up with Leon, Aerith, and Yuffie in the small vacant house in the Third District.  
  
Sora started to tell everything. Donald, Goofy, and Corita (who had slowly started to warm up), added things to the story as he spoke. They kept talking for about 15 minutes until Leon spoke again.  
  
"So the darkness is flowing out of that Keyhole..."  
  
"No wonder there are more and more Heartless everywhere." Aerith said. "The only way to stop them is-"  
  
"Seal the Keyhole, right?" Sora suggested, holding up the Keyblade.  
  
"Maybe. But no one knows what will happen once it's sealed." Leon said.  
  
"Well, we can't just stay here!" Corita said, giving a very small shiver under her sweater she'd pulled out of the Gummi Ship's storage room. "We have to do something!"  
  
"We have a friend back there!" Sora said.  
  
"That's right. You have one more friend to worry about." Leon said quietly. "Riku's Keyblade must have been born of the captive princesses' hearts." He said as he stole a quick glance at Corita, who was finally pulling off her sweater. "Of course, without Kairi's heart, the Keyhole which was also born of their hearts remained incomplete. Once that Keyblade was destroyed, the princesses' hearts were freed. Don't worry, Sora. If anyone can save your friend, you can."  
  
"Corita...are you okay?" Yuffie asked curiously as Corita furiously pulled her sweater back on.  
  
"Never...ever...hold a Heartless...for more...than a few...seconds." Corita said as she yanked it over her head. Yuffie looked at Leon and shrugged.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --  
  
After Corita had gotten her sweater back on, the four of them left the small house and walked to the First District. Donald was busy asking Sora questions.  
  
"So, what did it feel like to be a Heartless? Was it an enjoyable experience? Why do you think Corita's so darn cold? What-"  
  
"Donald, if you don't mind, I think Sora has a few questions for me." Cid growled when they had reached him. Donald quickly stopped.  
  
"Cid, I need to get back to Hollow Bastion." Sora said firmly.  
  
"I don't think I can let you do that, kid. The Heartless there are multiplying by the minute. They'd eat your ship up." Cid said, turning to Sora.  
  
"Then what can we do?" Sora asked.  
  
"Simple. Go around 'em instead of through. Install a new navigation gummi and take a new route."  
  
"A new gummi? From where?" Sora asked.  
  
"The secret waterway. When I came here 9 years ago, I stored it there in case I ever needed it." Cid turned his back on Sora for a moment. "Never thought a kid would be the one to use it!" ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- -- "Urhg, this place gives me the creeps." Donald muttered as they moved along the slippery stones in the secret waterway, looking for the gummi Cid had mentioned.  
  
"Sora...look!" Corita said, pointing at something in the far back of the small path. It was a mural shaped like the sun.  
  
"What a strange mural..." Sora said, reaching out and touching it. A bright flash of light followed, and a gummi appeared in Sora's hand.  
  
"That works." Donald said. "Let's go!"  
  
Sora had stopped in the front of the waterway where Kairi stood, watching him. Donald stopped next to him, and Goofy did as well. Corita, however, grabbed Goofy and Donald's arms and pulled them away.  
  
"We'll be at the hotel!" She said brightly as Goofy and Donald struggled. Kairi giggled softly and looked at the end of the path.  
  
"A light at the end of the tunnel..." She whispered, looking at the mural.  
  
"Oh, your grandma's story, right?" Sora asked.  
  
"That's right." Kairi said, slightly suprised. "We were together."  
  
"You know what's funny? I looked everywhere for you, but you were with me all along. Finally, we're together, Kairi. Corita's been here the whole time...now, it's time to get Riku back."  
  
"You think it'll ever be the same again between us?" Kairi asked. "Riku's lost his..."  
  
"When I turned into a Heartless, you saved me, remember?" Sora said softly. "I was lost in the darkness. I couldn't find my way. As I stumbled through the dark, I started forgetting things-my friends, who I was. The darkness almost swallowed me. But then I heard your voice-your voice. You brought me back."  
  
"I didn't want to just forget about you, Sora. I couldn't."  
  
"That's it!" Sora said with a sudden burst of understanding. "Our hearts are connected. And the light from our hearts broke through the darkness. I saw that light. I think that's what saved me. No matter how deep the darkness, a light shines within. I guess it's more than just a fairy tale."  
  
"Well, let's go!" Kairi said boldly.  
  
"You can't go!" Sora said quickly.  
  
"Because it's...way too dangerous!"  
  
"Come on, Sora. We made it this far by sticking together. You can't go alone."  
  
"Kairi, even if we're apart, we're not alone anymore. Right?" Sora asked.  
  
"I can't help?" Kairi asked.  
  
"You'd kind of be in my way." Sora said jokingly. Kairi gave another soft giggle.  
  
"Okay. You win..." She said quietly. Kairi reached into her pocket and pulled out a small, star-shaped charm she'd once made on the Destiny Islands.  
  
"Take this. It's my lucky charm. Be sure to bring it back to me!" Kairi said bossily.  
  
"Don't worry, I will." Sora said.  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"Promise."  
  
They stood in silence for a moment until Kairi spoke one final time.  
  
"Don't ever forget. Wherever you go, I'm always with you."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --  
  
---Sora53: Oh, that's so darn sweet!  
  
Fanboys: Uh huh...-are watching DVDs and eating pizza-  
  
Sora53: ¬¬ -unplugs DVD player-  
  
Fanboys: NOO!!! -dies-  
  
Sora53: Good...I missed the Fangirl's pathetic attempts at attacking me!  
  
Fangirls: GET HER!  
  
Fans: Hahaha...this is entertainment! -watches Sora53 being chased and hit with grape lollipops- 


	44. Pancakes and Libraries

---Sora53: OMG it's like a record! 2 chappies in 1 day, and this one's long!  
  
Fans: YAY PARTY!  
  
Sora Fangirls: WHOO!  
  
Riku Fangirls: Boo! No more Riku! -sob-  
  
Sora53: Oh, stop crying. I brought you a present!  
  
Joe: Wait, what am I doing here?  
  
Riku Fangirls: HI JOE!---  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but I still own Corita. Hahaha.  
  
Sora proceeded to Hotel Corita with Kairi, staring up at the flashy sign Corita had made.  
  
"The old owner quit." Sora explained as he opened the door. Loud shouts were coming from inside.  
  
"Oh no." Sora said with a slight smile. "We left Corita and Donald in the same room together for 5 minutes." The two of them entered the main hall and followed the shouts to the room where they were coming from.  
  
"No, Donald, I don't care..."  
  
"Be quiet, Corita, I'll go anytime-" Donald had meant to leave the room, but he was stopped by Sora and Kairi.  
  
"Oh, hi!" Donald said, waving nervously. Goofy was sitting in the corner, reading a book with earplugs in his ears. Chairs, books, and other assorted objects were scattered around.  
  
"What's going on?" Kairi asked politly.  
  
"Donald was trying to break out to eavesdrop on you two." Corita said, hopping off the bed she'd been standing on. "I had to barricade the other exits, and was about to block this one, too."  
  
Sora and Kairi stole a quick glance at each other, and then burst out in torrents of laughter. Goofy removed his earplugs and looked around, confused.  
  
"Okay, looks like this room is yours, guys." Corita said, looking at the room that had been plugged up by her barricades. "Kairi and I get the special room...the one that isn't...messy." She said as she shoved some of the stuff out of the way of the door.  
  
"Heehee...I bet you're jealous!" Kairi said as she walked to her room.  
  
"Wait. How come you two get the room that isn't full of junk?" Donald asked.  
  
"Girl's privledge." They said, giggling. The door closed with a snap, and the three of them looked at each other. The door creaked open again after a few moments.  
  
"Oh, and if you don't clean up the mess, I'll have to charge you extra for staying at the hotel." Corita said with a bright smile.  
  
"Can she do that?" Goofy asked as they started cleaning.  
  
"It is her hotel..." Sora sighed.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
"Good morning!" Goofy called, banging a pot and pan together. Sora, Donald and Kairi walked into the hallway where he stood, with messy hair and tired eyes.  
  
"Goofy, what time is it?" Kairi asked, looking at the clock on the wall.  
  
"It's 5:30 in the morning! Look alive, people!" Goofy said, pushing them all to the kitchen and putting eggs and bacon on their plates.  
  
"How can you tell?" Kairi asked as she yawned and peered out the window.  
  
"Where's Corita?" Sora asked.  
  
"Oh, she isn't feeling too great since yesterday." Goofy said sadly, piling pancakes on Donald's plate and drowning them in syrup. "I fear she may be a bit sick."  
  
"Sick?" Sora asked nervously. Goofy nodded.  
  
"Nothing that could keep her down, though!" He said cheerfully as Corita burst into the room.  
  
"Hey, everyone!" Corita said. She certainly didn't look perfectly healthy. She had light bags under her eyes and there was a bit of weakness in her voice.  
  
"You okay, Corita?" Sora asked.  
  
"Yep! I'm fine!" Corita said as she looked at Donald's pancakes. "Are you sure this is enough syrup?" She asked Goofy.  
  
"Hmm...you're right!" Goofy said as he poured more syrup on Donald's pancakes.  
  
"You know, I'd like to eat them, not drink them!" Donald cried as he pulled his pancakes away.  
  
"Mmm...this is good." Kairi said as she tried a bit of her pancakes. "Who made these?"  
  
"Goofy did." Corita said. Goofy blushed brightly and sat down with the others.  
  
"So, we're going to head off and see Cid this morning?" Sora asked. The others nodded. Corita proceeded to clean up the dishes as the others finished.  
  
"Corita, aren't you going to eat something?" Goofy asked.  
  
"No, I'm not really hungry." Corita said, shrugging. The others finished up, and they got ready to go visit Cid.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
"You found it?" Cid asked as the others approached him. "All right, I'll go fix it onto your ship."  
  
Sora, Corita, Donald, Kairi, and Goofy watched Cid leave the area and they were left to themselves. Besides Corita sneezing a few times, all was silent until Cid came back.  
  
"All set! You can go any time." Cid said as he approached them again. He turned towards Sora. "Kid, I gotta say, I wish you didn't have to face all this danger." He said with a look of deep concern.  
  
The five of them thanked him, and they moved to the Main Entrance of Traverse Town. Beyond lay the Gummi Ship, and this meant that Sora and Kairi had to say their goodbyes.  
  
"We'll be over here." Corita said, pulling Goofy and Donald away once again. Sora gave a slight laugh, and he turned to Kairi.  
  
"Well, this is goodbye for now." Sora said.  
  
"We'll see each other again soon." Kairi said firmly. Sora nodded.  
  
"I should probably go before Donald and Corita kill each other." He said, turning his head to where Corita and Donald were bickering. Goofy had put his earplugs back in.  
  
"Bye." Kairi whispered, waving as they exited through the huge gate.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
After listening to Corita cough for about 10 minutes straight, Sora finally spoke up.  
  
"Corita, you're sick."  
  
"I AM NOT SICK! I don't get sick!" Corita mumbled.  
  
"It's all my fault...I'm sorry..." Sora said softly as Corita began to sneeze again.  
  
"Look, Sora, It's no one's fault." Corita said. "I'm not sick! I haven't been sick in my life! I'm not freezing cold anymore, so don't worry so much!" Sora finally gave up and leaned back in his chair. After a long trip, the Gummi Ship pulled up to a new portal.  
  
"Chip? Dale?" Donald said into the speaker.  
  
"Yes?" Two voices asked in unison.  
  
"Will this warp hole take us to Hollow Bastion?"  
  
"Hmm...let me check the book...no, Dale..."  
  
"C'mon, Chip, you get to do everything!"  
  
"It will." Corita said, pointing to a page in 'Gummi Ships for Boneheads.'  
  
"Ready?" Donald asked. The three of them nodded, and Donald moved the Gummi Ship gently into the portal.  
  
They had gone through portals before, but nothing could prepare them for this one. It was much wilder and longer than any other they'd experienced, and by the end of it all of them felt rather sick.  
  
"Everyone okay?" Donald asked shakily. Everyone else nodded, and Donald continued forward.  
  
After a longer trip (filled with Goofy pressing various missle-shooting buttons at Heartless ships) they arrived at Hollow Bastion again.  
  
"Whew, we're here!" Sora said, looking around at the Rising Falls. At the end of the small platform stood the Beast.  
  
"Beast!" Corita called. The Beast turned around and looked at them.  
  
"Where's Belle?" Sora asked.  
  
"Still in the castle." He growled, turning away from them.  
  
"Against her will?"  
  
"No, I think she stayed for a reason. The other princesses stayed as well."  
  
"I wonder why?" Donald wondered, staring up at the huge castle.  
  
"Let's go ask them." Sora said.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
The group followed the long winding path up to the main hall once again. There were five of them now, so It was harder to move through the paths. Corita had stopped coughing and sneezing, and pointed this out to Sora quickly.  
  
"See, I told you I don't get sick! It was a fluke or something!" She said as they moved along the paths. They eventually reached the library once again, and they trudged through the room laden with bookshelves. Suddenly, the Beast stopped walking.  
  
"Belle!" He cried happily. He moved up the stairs and stopped halfway. In front of him was a young woman in a bright, beautiful dress. She appeared hopelessly happy at the sight of the Beast, just as he was hopelessly happy to see her.  
  
"Let them have a minute to themselves." Corita muttered as she pulled Sora, Goofy, and Donald away. They stood behind one of the large bookshelves, waiting for the Beast and Belle's reunion to end.  
  
"Hey, Corita." Sora said to his sister.  
  
"Hmm?" She asked absentmindedly as she peered at the dusty shelves of books.  
  
"When I turned into a Heartless...and you led me back down to the others..." Sora said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "I think I remember you jumping off a ledge very, very high up in the castle. Is that true?"  
  
Corita turned to him, embarassed. "Well, it's not one of my fondest memories, but yes."  
  
"You did that for me?" Sora asked.  
  
"Well, yes." She said, turning bright pink. She turned away from the rows of books and faced him. "That reminds me, Sora. I have something of yours..."  
  
Corita reached into one of her pockets and dug for a while. She pulled Sora's red Thalassa shell out of it, and she placed it in his hand.  
  
"It's yours." She said, grinning. "Don't forget, It'll bring you good luck."  
  
Sora smiled and looked down at the Thalassa shell she'd given him. He put it into his pocket, and looked up at Corita, who was smiling at him.  
  
"Corita..." Sora started, but couldn't find the right words. Corita understood, however. She reached out and gave her brother a hug, the first hug she'd given him since they were about 4 years old. She was glad, for the first time since their adventure began, that he was her brother.  
  
"I hate to break up this sweet, wonderful, brother-sister moment...," Donald said, walking towards them,  
  
"But Beauty and the Beast are coming this way."  
  
"You've come to seal the Keyhole, right?" Belle asked Sora after she and the Beast had reached them. "Please, be careful. The darkness is raging deep inside. We've been holding it back, but we can't hold out much longer."  
  
"We'll take care of it." Sora said bravely.  
  
"Where are the other princesses?" Donald asked.  
  
"They are up in the Castle Chapel." Belle said. "Please, take care. The Heartless are swarming all over the castle."  
  
"Nothing we can't handle!" Corita said boldly.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
"Nothing we can't handle." Donald said sarcastically.  
  
"We'll be fine!" Sora said, attacking the nearest Heartless. "Just keep attacking! We've faced worse attacks than this!"  
  
"No Sora, we really haven't." Corita growled as she shot down a nearby Heartless with a fire spell.  
  
"Stop it!" Sora cried. "Keep fighting!"  
  
They finally fought the Heartless swarm off, and they sat together, exhausted.  
  
"We've got to keep going. We've got to seal the keyhole." Sora said, pulling them up. Belle had been right; the Heartless were much stronger than any they'd ever faced before.  
  
"Before this gets any worse." Corita muttered, using a cure spell on herself and her friends.  
  
They proceeded to climb the huge castle for the second time, constantly ambushed by huge waves of Heartless enemies. The eventually made it up to the Castle Chapel, but they collapsed in front of the door.  
  
"Let's just...rest here...a minute..." Sora panted.  
  
"I don't know why you guys are so tired." Jiminy said as he scribbled some more information into his journal.  
  
"You still keep that thing?" Corita asked.  
  
"You bet! I'm getting gold here! Most of it's about you right now, though." Jiminy said as he stopped writing for a moment.  
  
"Me? What are you writing about me?" Corita said, looking at his journal.  
  
"Hey!" Jiminy said, closing it with a snap. "I can't let you read it right now...maybe later. Right now, you've got to go see the princesses, remember?" He said to them.  
  
"You're right!" Sora said as he stood up. The others got up as well, and they entered the huge chapel.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
---Sora53: -hysterical laughter-  
  
Fans: WHAT THE HECK IS SO DARN FUNNY?!  
  
Sora53: -points-  
  
Riku Fangirls: Really? That's SOOO fascinating! Can we buy you another cup of tea?  
  
Joe: WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?! -vanishes-  
  
Riku Fangirls: JOE! COME BACK! WE LOVE YOU!  
  
Joe: -reappears- Don't you know? I'm one of the fanboys! -grabs Corita randomly out of the fanfic- Hi Corita...  
  
Corita: AHH!!!  
  
Fans: Oo 


	45. The Final Princess

---Sora53: Yes, yes, short chappie. But, who's complaining?  
  
Fans: WE ARE! -hands Sora53 a complaint file-  
  
Sora53: -reads complaint- Oh, you want longer chapters, do ya?  
  
Fans: YES!  
  
Sora53: -rips up complaint- oops...  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own Kingdom Hearts, but I own Corita! HAHAHAHAHAHA! -cough-  
  
The Castle Chapel was the same as they had left it before. Sora, Corita, Donald and Goofy moved along the path to the main room, their footsteps echoing in the darkness (Beast had stayed in the Library with Belle.)  
  
"Hello? Anyone here?" Sora called out.  
  
"We've been waiting for you, Keyblade master." called a soft voice. It came from a young woman, standing with another person. They were both staring at Sora. There was another group of women standing in the Chapel, talking together.  
  
"Where's Ansem?" Sora asked.  
  
"Gone." said the same woman.  
  
"When the Keyhole appeared, darkness poured out of it. It swallowed Ansem, and he disappeared." Said a different woman.  
  
"Though Ansem is gone, the flood of darkness hasn't stopped. We're working together to hold it back."  
  
After a few moments, the second woman spoke again.  
  
"I cannot forget the look on his face. As the darkness engulfed him, he was smiling."  
  
"Hey, Sora." Corita whispered, poking him. "Isn't that Jasmine, from Agrabah? And Alice?"  
  
Sora turned his head to look where Corita was pointing. Sure enough, Jasmine and Alice were talking with another woman.  
  
"Yeah! Let's go talk to them!" Donald said, moving towards them. Waving goodbye to the other two women, they all moved towards the others.  
  
"Sora, please hurry!" Jasmine cried to him.  
  
"It's all we can do just to hold back the darkness." Alice said.  
  
"I don't know how long we can manage even that." the third woman said to him.  
  
"All right, I'm on my way!" Sora said boldly.  
  
"We're counting on you, Keyblade master. In the meantime, we'll do what we can, too."  
  
"Of course..." Alice whispered. "We could always use more help..."  
  
Eight pairs of eyes turned to where Corita was standing. Corita was busy trying to get her hair to lie flat, and was failing spectacularly. She didn't notice that everyone was staring at her until she looked up.  
  
"Huh? Why isn't anyone talking...hey, why are you staring at me?" Corita asked, looking around at everyone.  
  
"Corita...say something!" Sora whispered.  
  
"Say what?" Corita muttered back.  
  
"She'll think about it!" Sora announced.  
  
"Think about what?" Corita asked.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
"Corita, we're about to head in and seal the Keyhole!" Sora said, sitting next to her. Corita was sitting on the stone ledge right outside of the Castle Chapel, staring at the sunset.  
  
"Yeah..." Corita said, leaning back a bit. "Sora...I don't feel like I should be a Princess of Heart... I mean, do I seem like the kind of person with a pure heart?" Corita asked, looking at Sora.  
  
Sora kept staring into the sunset. "Well, I don't know much about pure hearts, but I suppose it depends."  
  
"Depends on what?" Corita asked.  
  
"Corita, you've risked your neck plenty of times to save all of us." Sora said, turning to her. "Who else would've stayed behind just for a Heartless? Who else could heal us with her cure spells? Who else could worry so much when I was beaten by Riku, or have a bad feeling when someone else was in trouble, like Hercules was in the arena?"  
  
Corita blushed slightly. "Well, that stuff's not that great..."  
  
Sora stood up. "I guess it's up to you."  
  
Corita looked up at him. "Sora, I can't stay here! I don't know how to 'hold back the darkness' or whatever they're doing!"  
  
"Well, I can't help you there. However, if you choose to stay here, you'll be missed greatly."  
  
"SORA! CORITA! Get in here now, you lazy bums!" Donald cried from inside the Castle Chapel.  
  
Corita stood up next to Sora. "Yep, greatly missed."  
  
"Have you decided?" Jasmine asked as Sora and Corita walked back into the Castle Chapel.  
  
"Well, I could stay here and protect the worlds from the darkness." Corita said simply. "Or, I could go with my friends and do the same thing. Either way, I'm protecting the worlds, right? No offense, but I don't think I could stand being cooped up here for too long." Corita said with a slight smile. "Besides, if I stay here, who will keep Donald in line?"  
  
"Huh?" Donald said, looking up. He hadn't been paying attention very well.  
  
The other princesses nodded. "We understand. Don't forget to visit, though."  
  
Corita smiled and turned to Sora. "Well, let's go seal the keyhole!"  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
The darkness that poured out of the keyhole before Sora had defeated Riku was nothing compared to what was pouring out now. The mutli-colored keyhole glowed as it had before, but darkness seemed to seep through its cracks.  
  
"How do we seal this one?" Corita asked. "I can't see the actual keyhole..."  
  
"You know, it looks like we could go through this stuff." Goofy said, poking the multicolored keyhole. The moment he touched it, however, he was instantly jerked forward and started to vanish through the hole.  
  
"Goofy!" Corita cried, reaching out to grab his arm. Instead of pulling him back, she was pulled forward along with him.  
  
"Corita, you idiot!" Donald barked, pulling on Corita's arm. He, too, was jerked forward.  
  
"Donald!" Sora cried, grabbing one of his feathery wings. Sora was the last to see the light of the previous room.  
  
The four of them landed together in a tangled heap near where the portal was. The area they were in now seemed simply like a huge room, covered entirely by the same colorful darkness they had seen before Goofy led them in. Across the vast room, shining brightly in the darkness, was the Keyhole.  
  
"Great job, Goofy!" Sora said, standing up quickly. This was difficult, considering they were all still lying in a heap.  
  
"Donald, I think you're crushing my arm." Corita said, pushing him off.  
  
"Corita, you're lying on my foot." Goofy said.  
  
"Aw, quit whining! What were you saying, Sora?" Donald asked.  
  
"Look!" Sora said, pointing to the Keyhole.  
  
"Hey, that was easy!" Corita said.  
  
"Do you guys...hear something?" Goofy said nervously.  
  
"Let's go seal it!" Sora said joyously.  
  
"Seriously, guys...what is that noise?"  
  
"Stop being paranoid, Goofy." Donald said.  
  
"But...remember when we were sealing the Keyhole in Traverse Town?" Goofy protested. The others stopped walking.  
  
"He's right." Sora said truthfully. "Now that you mention it..."  
  
"I can hear that..." Donald continued.  
  
"Rumbling sound..." Corita finished.  
  
There indeed was a rumbling sound coming from deep in the area. It was slowly getting louder and louder...  
  
"How could we have not heard it before?" Donald wondered as the rumbling shook the whole area.  
  
Finally, the rumbling noises stopped. Bunched tightly in a group, Donald spoke first;  
  
"Do you think it's gone?" He asked weakly.  
  
"Guys..." Corita said slowly, stepping back.  
  
The others turned to where she was pointing, and saw a horrific sight.  
  
A massive, purple Heartless was blocking their way to the exit. Its huge hooves and giant horns made it look more than capable of murder. Its eyes were tiny yellow slits that glared at them, and a low growl came from the massive beast's throat. The Heartless symbol was clear on its chest, and it moved slowly towards them.  
  
"RUN!" Donald screamed, and the four of them spread in different directions.  
  
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Sora53: HAHAHA! FEEL THE POWER OF MY SHORT CHAPPIES! I wanted to tweak this chapter a bit cuz I thought it made Corita look a bit like a......-shutter- Mary Sue...  
  
Fans: Meh. Mary Sues are evil.  
  
Corita: I'm not evil! -eats a cookie-  
  
Joe: Can I have a cookie? The Riku Fangirls stole all mine.  
  
Sora53: Joe, I thought you left?  
  
Joe: Not when there's free cookies! -eats a cookie- 


	46. Jiminys Journal

---Sora53: MUAHAHAHA! We're taking a detour from the regular story at the end here...  
  
Fans: What kind of a detour?  
  
Sora53: -evil grin-  
  
Joe: Can I go home now?  
  
Sora53: I guess if you want to...  
  
Corita: FREE COOKIES!  
  
Joe: YAY!---  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, and I own Corita. Happy? -glares at lawyers-  
  
The Behemoth, as dubbed by Jiminy, was a slow mover, but still very dangerous. A deep growling noise filled the air as the monster took off after Sora. Sora was busy yelling out orders to his teammates.  
  
"Donald, you take the left side! Goofy, follow me! Corita, you stay on the side and heal us!" Sora called out as he ran to attack the Behemoth. His attempts were in vain, however. The Keyblade simply bounced off the creature's thick skin.  
  
"SORA! GET AWAY FROM ITS HOOVES!" Corita cried as Sora stood near the Behemoth, wondering why he hadn't done damage.  
  
"How are we supposed to damage it?" Sora asked, running away from the Behemoth's hooves. Corita turned away from Sora to look at the creature, who was now in hot pursuit of Donald and Goofy.  
  
"Hmm..." She muttered, staring at the monster. "Sora, look at the center horn on its head!"  
  
Sora looked where Corita told him to, and the center horn glittered and shone brightly against the two surrounding it. Sora turned to Corita.  
  
"What do you think?" Sora asked.  
  
"Go for it!" Corita said, pushing Sora towards the Behemoth.  
  
"HEY, YOU BIG, STUPID, OVERGROWN HEARTLESS! COME GET SOME!" Sora cried just as the Behemoth was about to step on Donald.  
  
"Couldn't you have waited a few more seconds?" Corita muttered as the Behemoth turned to face Sora.  
  
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After the Behemoth's weak spot was discovered, defeating him was rather easy. The creature roared in pain as Sora and Goofy sliced away at his horn, and Donald and Corita struck it with magic. Eventually, his horn was completly chipped away, and he teeterd and fell to the ground with a teriffic crushing noise. Sora and Goofy were thrown off, and they landed near where Donald and Corita stood. The creature slowly dissolved into the darkness, and the keyhole was left clear.  
  
"Allow me." Sora said regally, walking through the eerie room towards the keyhole, followed by his friends. Sora held up his Keyblade to seal Hollow Bastion, and a beam of light shot out from the end of his weapon. The light entered the Keyhole, and their ears were met with the familiar clicking sound. The keyhole disappeared, and they were surrounded by total darkness.  
  
"Better get out of here." Goofy said, turning towards the exit. They left the area the same way they came in (without quite so much yelling and fuss) and found themselves back in the room with the glowing keyhole, and some familiar faces waiting for them.  
  
"Sora, you did it." Leon said, grinning. Aerith and Yuffie were also there, looking quite pleased.  
  
"What are you guys doing here?" Sora asked, baffled.  
  
"We came in Cid's ship." Yuffie answered.  
  
"This is our childhood home. We came to see it again." Aerith said with a slight smile.  
  
"It's in worse shape then I feared. It used to be so peaceful..." Leon said sadly.  
  
"Don't worry." Aerith said, seeing Sora and Corita's worried faces. "If we defeat Ansem, all should be restored. Including your island."  
  
"Really?" Sora asked.  
  
"But, it also means goodbye." Yuffie said with a touch of sadness.  
  
"Once the worlds are restored, they'll be separate again." Aerith explained.  
  
"Everyone will go back to where they came from." Yuffie added.  
  
"So we'll visit you guys in the gummi ship!" Corita said.  
  
"It's not that simple." Leon said gruffly.  
  
"Before all this, you didn't know about the other worlds, right?" Yuffie asked.  
  
"Because every world was isolated. Impassable walls separated them." Aerith said.  
  
"The Heartless destroyed those walls. But if the worlds return, so will those walls." Yuffie added.  
  
"Which means gummi ships will be useless." Leon finished.  
  
"So you're saying we'll never...?" Sora said slowly, not able to finish.  
  
"We may never meet again, but we'll never forget each other." Leon said.  
  
"No matter where we are, our hearts will bring us together again." Aerith said.  
  
"Besides, I couldn't forget you even if I wanted to!" Yuffie said.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Sora asked as Corita, Goofy, and Donald burst out laughing.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
"I can't believe it, Sora." Corita said softly, leaning back in her chair.  
  
"What is it?" Sora asked. Corita sat up again, and turned to face him.  
  
"After all we've been through, and everything we've done...our journey's almost over."  
  
Sora smiled and stood up. "You're right, Corita." He marched up to the cockpit and stood over Donald, who was driving.  
  
"Move over, duck boy!" Sora said, pulling him out of the driver's chair.  
  
"Hey! Only Corita's allowed to call me duck boy!" Donald shouted, pulling at Sora's arm.  
  
"If our adventure's almost over, I get at least one chance to drive the gummi ship in a sane manner!"  
  
"Are you sure you know how?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Please. Donald drives. It can't be that hard." Sora said, grinning.  
  
"I heard that!" Donald called from the back, where he was sitting with Corita, looking grumpy. Corita now had her nose buried in a book.  
  
"Okay, here we go!" Sora said, pushing a bunch of random buttons. "Where are we headed?" he asked.  
  
"Traverse Town." Goofy said cheerfully.  
  
"Here we go! We go left, and right, and...DIVE BOMB!" Sora squealed, sending the gummi ship into a hurling dive bomb.  
  
"You're right." Donald said as he and Corita pulled themselves off the floor. "He IS like you..."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
"Corita? You're still awake?" Sora asked, opening the door to her room.  
  
"Yeah..." Corita said, looking up at Sora. "Be quiet, Kairi's asleep."  
  
"What are you reading?" Sora asked, walking over to her and peering over her shoulder. Corita quickly snapped the book shut.  
  
"Nothing much...you're right, I should get to sleep." Corita said, placing the book down and pulling up her covers. "Goodnight, Sora." She said, switching off her bedside light.  
  
"Goodnight, Corita." Sora said, leaving the room. He walked back to his room, where Goofy was snoring loudly.  
  
About a half hour later, Sora still couldn't sleep. Curious about what Corita had been reading, he quietly tiptoed to the hallway, and gently opened the door to Kairi and Corita's room. He stepped carefully to Corita's bedside, and plucked Jiminy's journal off her bedside table. He then walked back to his room, and turned on his bedside light.  
  
"That's right!" Sora thought suddenly. "Jiminy had said he'd been writing a lot about her lately!"  
  
He carefully opened the book to where Corita had marked the page, and began to read.  
  
World: Agrabah  
  
Day 1  
  
We have finally arrived in Agrabah. It's scorching hot here; I don't know how I'm going to survive. We've already been attacked by waves of Heartless; I was almost knocked off of Donald's hat. We met a princess earlier. She said her name was princess Jasmine. A man named Jafar ambushed us with more Heartless. Hmm...how are these events connected?  
  
Day 2  
  
I've come up with a bio for Jafar! It took me all night: 'He's mean, he's lean, if he was a girl, he'd be queen!' Sora didn't seem to like it much, though. We met up with a magic carpet, and rode it far into the desert. In the desert, we found a man trapped in quicksand. After being attacked by waves of Heartless, the man summoned a genie and wished them all away. What power!

Day 3

We made our way to the Royal Gates, but we were attacked again by Jafar's Heartless monsters after Jafar stole Genie's lamp. Something peculiar happened during the battle, however. Sora summoned Simba, the mighty king of lions, to help during the battle. However, Corita claimed to have felt the effects, too. I infer that this is simply a case of twin hearts, but I suppose we'll never know...

Day 4

We went back to the desert today, only to be attacked by a giant lion head. After it was defeated, we proceeded into the Cave of Wonders. What treasure lies here! Aladdin led us to the main chamber, where Jafar was holding Jasmine hostage. He ordered Genie to kill all of us, except Corita. After the fight, Corita's phobia got the better of her, and we proceeded down to the lava area to defeat Jafar for the final time. Corita's story, however, is a peculiar one (again.) She claims Riku found her, and was acting funny. When I asked her how he was acting funny, she said she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

Day 5

Back to Traverse Town! We visited Merlin today. Merlin claimed he'd been doing research on the magic potential Sora and Corita could have together, but Sora seemed relectant to try any magic. Ah well, time will bring changes, I suppose. Tommorow, we're headed off for a new world. It's so exciting!

Sora looked up from Jiminy's Journal and saw that it was already 2:00. Realizing that he only had a few hours before Goofy and Corita got up, he put the journal down and turned off the light.

---Sora53: I believe this calls for a dun dun dun!

Fans/Joe/Riku Fangirls/Sora Fangirls/Corita: DUN DUN DUN!!!

Sora53: Thank you :)

Corita: HEY! SORA FANGIRLS!

Sora Fangirls: Hey, you're Sora's sister, aren'tcha?

Corita: Well, yeah...

Sora Fangirls: So, if you went missing, Sora'd come looking for you?

Corita: I suppose...

Sora Fangirls: -evil grin----


	47. More from the journal of a cricket

---Sora53: This has got to be my longest chappie yet! Hmm...has anyone seen Corita or the Sora Fangirls?  
  
Fans: Nope.  
  
Joe: I think I saw them going that way!  
  
Sora53: Hmm...  
  
-in some unknown part of wherever we are...-  
  
Corita: LET ME GO!!  
  
Sora Fangirls: No way! Must...meet...Sora!---  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but I own Corita. Does anyone even read this anymore?  
  
"SORA! MOVE IT OR LOSE IT!" Corita screamed. Sora woke up with a start.  
  
"Hurry up, Sora!" Goofy said, pulling him out of bed. "Even Donald and Kairi are up now!"  
  
Sora groaned and walked to the breakfast table, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.  
  
"Sora, you lazy bum, did you sleep in again?" Kairi asked, giggling. Sora nodded, and dug into his pancakes.  
  
"Well, we've got a big day ahead of us!" Goofy said, drowning Donald's pancakes in syrup yet again. "We've gotta get stocked up for later!"  
  
"We're going SHOPPING!" Corita and Kairi sqealed together.  
  
"Sora, are you okay? You're usually not this quiet!" Goofy said, giving him more pancakes.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little bit tired." Sora said. "Maybe I'll stay here for today. You know, rest up. I already have my weapon. You guys go buy new ones." Sora said, pulling munny out of his pockets and handing it to Goofy.  
  
"Well, okay Sora." Goofy said. "But it won't be the same without you..."  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
After watching Kairi, Corita, Goofy, and Donald leave for a day of shopping, Sora threw himself back on his bed and continued to read Jiminy's Journal.  
  
World: Monstro  
  
Day 1  
  
Ugh, I don't think I'll ever be able to get the Gummi Ship Song out of my head...well, during our trip to the new world, Monstro swallowed us whole! Well, we all survived, but imagine my suprise to find Pinocchio here too! Pinocchio wouldn't listen to me, however, and ran off with a strange silver- haired boy that Sora and Corita seemed to know pretty well. Well, we chased after him, and Pinocchio had been captured by a strange Heartless! Well, we quickly defeated him, and the boy, Riku I believe his name was, ran off with Pinocchio again! However...that boy is going to do something terrible to Pinocchio! Oh, why must I only be a cricket? I'd like to chase him myself!  
  
Day 2  
  
Well, we chased Riku, making sure to bend our knees. Sora gave some inspirational speech before we fought the Heartless again, but I wasn't really listening. Pinocchio was in danger! His heart was gone! However, when I approached him, he was just fine! What luck! After the Heartless was finally defeated, we headed back to the Gummi Ship, and were burped out of Monstro's belly. Oh, that whale won't be eating for a week! Hopefully, we will never see that boy again.  
  
World: Atlantica  
  
Day 1  
  
Oh, I'm so bored. The others have gone to Atlantica without me. Ah well, I never was much of a swimmer. I'm sure they'll fill me in on all the details later.  
  
Sometime later...  
  
The team has arrived back safely! What a relief! Corita found some type of shells...thalassa shells, I believe they were called. She seemed rather excited about it. Well, I'll ask them about their adventures later. For now, on we go!  
  
World: Halloween Town  
  
Day 1  
  
I've been scarred for life. Corita got to drive the Gummi Ship today. And her personality represents how she drives the Gummi Ship. Lots. And Lots. Of dive bombs. Oh well. We get to dress up for the next world! I've chosen a small ghost outfit. Sora seems thrilled with his cape. Donald got mad at me when I told him why Corita's head was my preferred perch, however. Hmm...oh well. Halloween Town is welcoming, and the people are nice as well. We saw some Heartless in the town square, but they didn't attack us...the mayor is nice enough, Jack is pretty cool, and Dr. Finkelstein...well, he's a little creepy, I'll admit.  
  
Day 2  
  
The Heartless have rebelled, Dr. Finkelstein and Jack's heart experiment was stolen, and Oogie Boogie is threatening to destroy Halloween Town. Our arrival here is no mistake, I deem. We pursued the troublemakers that stole the heart, and we were led up to Oogie Boogie's manor. Ah, there was a lovely note taped to the door, as well. 'Keep out. If you enter, you will die. If you resist, you will die. If you're close enough to the manor to be reading this message, you're probably already dead.' Inviting, eh? We defeated the troublemakers, beat Oogie Boogie, and then Oogie Boogie transformed into his manor! What a battle! Corita fought off her Acrophobia for a brief time, and destroyed the orb at the top of the manor. Sora seemed really worried about her, though. Ah, siblings!  
  
Day 3  
  
We've arrived back in Traverse Town! Ah, poor Corita. No one seems to appreciate her. However, the ear joke was rather funny...Corita actually obtained the hotel from the crazed owner! What a treat!  
  
World: Neverland  
  
Day 1  
  
Poor Corita. We really don't give her enough credit, and she's finally made us realize it. Well, we were overtaken today by a pirate ship, and we're now being help captive. Ah, what's this? Peter Pan? A boy named Peter Pan's just broken us out of our cell! We're going to split up to look for Wendy and Kairi. I've decided to go with Corita, as her head makes an excellent perch.  
  
Day 2  
  
Where are we? We were kidnapped by that foul boy, Riku, and now I can barely see a thing...I'd better stop writing soon to save my eyesight. Corita's still asleep. I'm sure she's alive...she's breathing fine and everything...  
  
World: Unknown  
  
Day 1 I had to go with Corita. We've made our way out of the dungeon we were held in, but now we're lost in this giant castle! Well, at least I was able to give Corita some company. I'd hate to be here alone... Why was Corita kidnapped by Riku? Hmm...I have a forming theory going...I'll keep this journal updated!  
  
Day 2  
  
We've made out way out! We've found Sora, Goofy, and Donald! However, Riku's stolen Sora's Keyblade, and Goofy and Donald have abandoned us. The Beast has joined us now, so we should be okay. It seems that the Beast is searching for someone who was also kidnapped...interesting... This world is called, "Hollow Bastion." Fitting name for such an eerie castle...Could these two kidnaps be connected? What about Jasmine in Agrabah, and Alice in Wonderland?  
  
Day 3  
  
We have found Riku, along with Donald and Goofy. Just as the end drew near, however, Goofy saved the day, and he and Donald are back on our side. What a relief. After defeating Riku and Sora reclaiming the Keyblade, we continued up the castle where Maleficent was defeated. We proceeded into another chamber and defeated the dragon. Wait, I've just realized. Where's Corita?  
  
Day 4  
  
Corita, kidnapped again... There must be some significance to these recent kidnappings. There is no other explanation.  
  
We're headed into the next chamber, now...  
  
Why, this is eerie...other women all trapped...  
  
Proceeding to the large platform, Sora spotted his old friend, Kairi. Corita was there as well, but no one seemed to pay much attention to her (as usual, I might add)...  
  
Sora felt a guilty prick inside now, after realizing that what Jiminy said was true. Realizing that he'd been reading for over an hour, he got up quickly and stretched his legs. The others would be back soon, and he didn't want to get caught reading Jiminy's Journal. However, his curiousity got the better of him. After telling himself that he wasn't going to keep reading, he got up and took the book from his bed, and began reading.  
  
...but there was something wrong. It seemed like all of their hearts were gone, and they were formed into Riku's dark Keyblade. Kairi's heart had been taken by the Heartless, however, so she couldn't release her power. After a terrific battle with Riku, Sora attempted to seal the keyhole, but it wasn't complete. In order to release Kairi's heart which was inside of him, Sora sacrificed himself to save Kairi, Corita, and all the others.  
  
I understand it now! These captive women must be what I've heard mentioned, especially in Hollow Bastion...the princesses of heart!  
  
Well, Corita stayed behind to take care of Heartless Sora, and I was very pleased, as I had my favorite perch back. People don't seem to notice me much anymore unless I speak...anyway, Corita (who was terribly cold from holding Sora for so long) took a heroic leap from a very high ledge all for her brother. How sweet! It wasn't much fun for me, though. You try to hold on to something while writing in a journal and falling for a long time! Anyway, Sora turned back to normal when Kairi protected him...I have so much more to research now!  
  
Day 5  
  
Poor Riku, possessed by Ansem...Poor Corita, freezing cold and kidnapped twice...Well, we're back in Traverse Town again, and everything seems to be fine. Corita's become sick, however. Hmm...I believe this may just be some simple after-effects of holding Heartless Sora for so long, but I'll have to see when it clears up. We're headed back to Hollow Bastion tommorow. What excitment! Hopefully, no one else will be kidnapped.  
  
Day 6  
  
We're back in Hollow Bastion. Just as I thought, Corita's cold has cleared up. Sora seemed very sad when we left Traverse Town...I believe he may just have a bit of a crush on Kairi...  
  
Sora snapped the journal shut and looked up. To his horror, the front door of the hotel was closing, and there were voices outside.  
  
"SOOOOOORAAAA! COME OUT HERE!" Goofy called. "WE BROUGHT GOOOOOODIES!"  
  
Sora lept up and ran into the girl's room, placed Jiminy's Journal carefully on Corita's bedside table, and ran out into the hallway.  
  
"Sora? What were you doing in our room?" Kairi asked.  
  
"Well, you know...it was a shorter path to you guys!" Sora said quickly.  
  
"You could've just walked into the hallway from your room and walked 5 feet to us." Corita said, walking to the kitchen with a huge bag full of ethers and potions.  
  
"Here, let me help you." Sora said, grabbing the bag from Corita and taking it into the kitchen, where he placed it on the table.  
  
"On your mark...get set...GO!" Kairi cried as the four others lept at the bag and grabbed what they needed. It was a rather friendly competition, until there was only one ether left.  
  
"NO! IT'S...MINE!" Donald cried as he pulled it away from Corita.  
  
"You want it?" Corita asked sweetly. She let it go the moment Donald was pulling at his hardest, and Donald went crashing to the floor.  
  
"Did you have a nice time shopping?" Sora asked.  
  
"Well, we didn't do much of the shopping." Goofy answered.  
  
"It was Corita and Kairi who went off with all of our munny." Donald said.  
  
"You mean to tell me that you gave 2 teenage girls ALL OF OUR MUNNY?!" Sora cried.  
  
"Well, they asked nicely..." Goofy said slowly.  
  
Sora sighed impatiently. "You at least got yourselves some new weapons, right?"  
  
"You bet!" Donald said, holding up a brand new staff. "The ducklings had to dig it out of the back, though...and they had Corita's new staff waiting on a satin pillow! I'm telling you, after we find the king..."  
  
"Tomorrow's the big day, you guys! We should rest up!" Corita said.  
  
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Sora snuck back into the girl's room after he was sure they'd fallen asleep, and gently took Jiminy's diary from Corita's bedside table. He was going to finish it tonight... Sora sat back on his bed, and flipped to where he'd stopped reading earlier that day.  
  
...anyway, we've made our way back to the Castle Chapel, where we're resting now. My goodness, the Heartless have become much stronger! We'll be heading in soon, where the other princesses are. The Beast has left us, he's back in the library with Belle. We sure could use his strength...  
  
Sorry about stopping so abruptly. Corita was trying to read over my shoulder, and there isn't much shoulder to read over. Hmm...Corita's outside now. The other princesses have requested that she stay here, and I think she's considering it. If she stays here, who will I sit on while I write in the journal? Donald? No, he's too short...  
  
Ah, Sora and Corita are coming back, now. Sora probably gave Corita some inspirational speech, because she's decided to stay with the group. What a relief! We're headed in to seal the keyhole now...  
  
Day 7  
  
Where are we? This strange room, the glowing lights...and what is that rumbling noise? Oh my! It's a huge purple Heartless! Hmm...it needs a name...I shall call it a Behemoth! I must go for now, it's far too easy to fall off someone's head during such a battle...  
  
I'm back! We met up with Leon, Yuffie, and Aerith today after sealing the keyhole. Hollow Bastion used to be their childhood home...what a state it's in now! We're headed back to Traverse Town, and then it's off to the final world!  
  
Sora turned the page, but nothing was written there. Sighing, he got up and walked back to the girl's room. He placed Jiminy's Journal carefully on Corita's bedside table, and turned to walk out of the room.  
  
"Well, what do you think?"  
  
Sora nearly had a heart attack. Turning around, he saw that Corita was awake and was sitting up.  
  
"Sora, you step as loudly as an elephant. Anyone would've woken up." She said with a smile.  
  
"Yeah...hehe..." Sora said nervously. "I never knew Jiminy was keeping such an accurate journal!"  
  
Corita grinned and picked up the journal. "Well, you don't see him much, do you?" Corita said. "Apparantly, I'm his favorite person to sit on..."  
  
"Yeah...lucky you." Sora said.  
  
"We should get to sleep." Corita said. "We have a big day ahead of us."  
  
"Yeah, you're right." Sora whispered, turning again to leave the room.  
  
"Sora?"  
  
"Yep?" Sora asked.  
  
"You do have a crush on Kairi, don't you?" Corita asked with a wry smile.  
  
Sora blushed beet red and hurried out of the room.  
  
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Sora53: -sigh- Hasn't Corita been kidnapped enough?  
  
Fans: The Sora Fangirls are holding her captive! What's more, they want Sora to come save her!  
  
Sora53: Don't worry. Corita's no wishy-washy wimp...she'll take care of them...  
  
-in an unknown area-  
  
Corita: Okay, let me out, or I'm blasting you!  
  
Sora Fangirls: Try us!  
  
Corita: casts Thundaga spell  
  
Sora Fangirls: XX--- 


	48. Twin flames and twin hearts

---Sora53: Guess what? The end part of this chapter came to me in a dream just like Hotel Corita!  
  
Fans: Cheer?  
  
Sora53: Hey, look! It's Corita.  
  
Corita: Meh. I was kidnapped by Sora Fangirls.  
  
Sora53: Did you blast them?  
  
Corita: You bet!---  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I own Corita. Meh.  
  
The next day began in a typical manner, with Corita and Goofy waking everyone up with their energy and drowning Donald's pancakes in syrup. After another long goodbye with Kairi, everyone boarded the gummi ship, and prepared for takeoff.  
  
"I'm driving!" Corita said, shoving Donald out of the cockpit. Their trip was a terribly long one, and no one seemed able to speak. The fact that their journey was almost over had begun to sink in.  
  
Suddenly, the gummi ship was shaken and tossed around by a huge ship flying next to them.  
  
"What the heck was that?" Donald cried, looking out the window. To his dismay, they were surrounded by about 6 huge Heartless ships.  
  
"Corita! Get us out of here!" He cried.  
  
"No problem!" Corita said cheerfully. She pressed the booster button, and they were lurched forward, only to be surrounded by more ships.  
  
"Uh oh." Goofy said, pressing various buttons. "Our lasers are out of energy..."  
  
After being slammed by Heartless ships for a few seconds, Sora made a very good suggestion.  
  
"PUNCH IT, CORITA!"  
  
Corita slammed the acclerator, and they were speeding through space with several Heartless ships in pursuit.  
  
"Of course. The one time I drive normally, we're shot down by Heartless ships. What a day." Corita grumbled as she pressed various buttons. "Goofy, can't you do something about our lasers?"  
  
"Hmm...well, there is the 'DON'T PRESS UNLESS REALLY, REALLY BIG HEARTLESS SHIPS ARE TRYING TO SHOOT YOU OUT OF THE SKY' button, but that's supposed to be for emergencies!"  
  
"GOOFY, ARE YOU DUMB?!" Donald cried. "THIS IS AN EMERGENCY!"  
  
"Oh, okay Donald...you don't need to be so mean about it..." Goofy said as he flipped open a red lid on the dashboard and slammed the giant red button. Huge lasers shot out of the gummi ship, and ran right into the Heartless ships behind them. The ships were instantly destroyed, and Corita slowed down the gummi ship.  
  
"'Only for emergencies...'" Donald muttered.  
  
The rest of the trip went along in silence, for the most part. When they arrived at Hollow Bastion, Corita slowed the gummi ship down to a hover.  
  
"So...in which direction is this new world?"  
  
The others looked out the windows. It was true; Cid hadn't mentioned where the new world was.  
  
"Well, I suppose it's over there, because the whole sky's pitch black." Goofy said, pointing to the east. Corita turned the gummi ship, and they continued on their trip.  
  
Sora was sitting in the back, putting different keychains on his Keyblade. Donald had pretended that he'd rather read 'Gummi Ships for Boneheads' again than watch this, but Goofy could've sworn he saw Donald watching over the top of the book. Goofy, meanwhile, was sitting in the front, humming something that sounded terrifically like the gummi ship song. Corita was carefully maneuvering the gummi ship through various obstacles, until something huge loomed in the distance.  
  
"Hey, guys...what is that?"  
  
The three others stopped what they were doing and looked through the windshield. A huge black orb hung in front of them, surrounded by dark purple rings. It was emitting a dark glow, and it looked very sinister indeed.  
  
"This is our final destination?" Corita asked quietly. The others nodded, and Corita moved in slowly to land.  
  
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The four friends had landed here, in the land that would be the end of their journey, the End of the World. They were now standing inside a small cave, and outside was a mysterious sight. There were many small fragments of rock scattered across a wide area, seemingly floating in midair. Far off, a giant glowing orb waited, surrounded by more rock.  
  
"Gawrsh, is that all that's left of the worlds taken by the Heartless?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Those worlds will be restored if we beat Ansem, won't they?" Corita asked.  
  
"You betcha!" Donald said.  
  
"But if we do beat him and all these worlds become restored and disconnected..." Sora said slowly, "what's gonna happen to this place? And to us?"  
  
"Well, uh..." Donald said, trying to think of an answer.  
  
"This is a Heartless world, so maybe it'll just disappear." Goofy answered.  
  
"Huh?" Sora, Corita, and Donald said together.  
  
"But no worries!" Goofy continued, seeing their worried faces. "Even if this place goes poof, our hearts ain't goin' nowhere! I'm sure we'll find our pals again. Yup, I just know we will!"  
  
"Yeah, you're right!" Sora said. Sora looked down at the charm Kairi had given him that was now swinging from his Keyblade.  
  
"I'll return this. I promise." Sora thought to himself.  
  
"Now...how do you suppose we cross this?" Donald wondered, moving carefully to the edge of the cave. Corita edged over to him slowly and shoved him 'by accident.' Donald was pushed off the edge of the cave, but instead of falling and catching the edge like Corita had expected him to, he was standing on the air as if it were solid ground.  
  
"Hey, cool!" Donald said, moving around on the air. Sora, Goofy, and Corita followed after him.  
  
"Look, a treasure chest!" Sora said, moving over to the remains of one of the worlds. He lifted his Keyblade and tapped on it, but instead of opening and revealing an item, it burst open and surrounded them in an orb of darkness.  
  
"SORA! YOU IDIOT!" Corita cried, trying to see through the darkness. They were suddenly thrown onto the ground in a new area, and a low growling filled the air.  
  
"Not another one..." Goofy muttered as they turned to face the Behemoth.  
  
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After the Behemoth had been defeated, they were surrounded by another dark orb, and pulled back to where they'd been before.  
  
"Sora...don't do that again!" Corita yelled as she dusted herself off.  
  
"Okay." Sora said meekly.  
  
"C'mon, I'm pretty sure we're headed for that big bright orb!" Goofy said, walking forward. He was stopped, however, by an invisible barrier.  
  
"No fair!" Donald whined, poking the barrier.  
  
"Fun, fun...another giant maze..." Sora muttered.  
  
They continued to maneuver their way around the giant maze for a long time, constantly being pulled away by orbs of darkness to fight huge waves of Heartless. They soon made their way to the giant orb, and they were instantly pulled inside of it. They flew through the darkness for a short time, and they landed in a large stone room.  
  
"Ugh...where are we?" Sora asked as he pulled himself up. There wasn't much to the room at all; at the end of it were two pillars and a large doorway.  
  
"Gee, I wonder where we have to go." Donald said sarcastically. They walked forward to the doorway, and Donald was the first to try to move through it. He was instantly thrown back, however, knocking over the others.  
  
"I don't think that's going to work." Goofy said simply as the others got up.  
  
"No, you think?" Donald growled. Corita had gotten up and had wandered over to one of the pillars.  
  
"Hey, you guys, look at this!" Corita said, pointing to the pillar. There were words written on it, and they began to read:  
  
'The path is blocked by darkness, the road ahead is bleak, The dark is unforgiving and it swallows all the weak. The dark is growing weaker now, the light shall make it part, Help it light the way with twin flames and twin hearts.'  
  
The four of them looked at each other, puzzled.  
  
"What does all this mean?" Donald wondered, and Sora and Goofy shrugged their shoulders. Corita, however, was smiling, reading the poem over again.  
  
"What are you doing?" Sora asked her. Corita looked up at them.  
  
"Don't you get it? It's a riddle!" She said, as if that explained everything. The others simply stared at her.  
  
"A riddle?" Sora asked.  
  
"Yes! Look at these pillars; they have wood on the top of them!" She said, pointing to the top of the pillar they were standing around.  
  
"Hey, they do! But how is that supposed to help us?" Sora asked.  
  
Corita sighed. "Twin flames and twin hearts..." She muttered, thinking it over. "Of course!" She said suddenly. "Sora, you and I have to light these pillars at the same time! Meaning..." She said with a smile, holding up her staff, "that you have to do magic."  
  
"What?!" Sora cried. "There has to be some mistake!"  
  
"Actually, it makes sense to me." Goofy said.  
  
"C'mon, Sora! If Donald can do it, you can!" Corita said. "Look, remember what Merlin said? Just don't worry about it so much, and cast a fire spell! It's the easiest spell!"  
  
Sora stared at the ground, thinking it over. "All right...I guess I can try..."  
  
"Good! Now, I'll light this one, and you light that one!" Corita said.  
  
"What happens if this doesn't work?" Donald asked.  
  
"Well..." Corita said, thinking. "I dunno."  
  
"Goody." Sora said, holding up his Keyblade.  
  
"Ready, Sora?" Corita asked.  
  
"No!"  
  
"Good!" Corita said. "1...2...3!"  
  
A blast of fire instantly burst out of Corita's staff and headed for the pillar, and Sora concentrated for a few moments and a small flame burst out of his. Either way, both pillars lit at the same time, and Donald walked up to the doorway carefully. He poked the air where they barrier had been, and there was none.  
  
"Great thinking, Corita!" Donald said, forgetting for a moment that they were rivals.  
  
"Hey, nice job, Sora!" Corita said as Sora walked over to the doorway.  
  
"You know, that actually wasn't that hard." He said with a grin. The four of them proceeded through the doorway and into the next area.  
  
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Sora53: -Is asleep-  
  
Fans: NOO!!! WAKE HER UP!!! SHE MAY HAVE CRAZY DREAMS AGAIN!!  
  
Corita: I'm so smart! -Cheesy grin-  
  
Joe: Meh. Anyone could've figured out that stupid riddle.  
  
Sora53: -wakes up suddenly- Excuse me? It took me like, 5 hours to write that stupid poem!  
  
Joe: Wow. That's sad.  
  
Riku Fangirls: No more Riku till end of ficcy! -sob-  
  
Sora Fangirls: YAY! SORA DID MAGIC!!! YAY! -goes and buys cherry lollipops-  
  
Riku Fangirls: CHERRY? GRAPE!  
  
Sora Fangirls: CHERRY!  
  
Sora53: Ugh...--- 


	49. The end draws near

---Sora53: -is busy sobbing-  
  
Fans: -sigh- Oh, what?  
  
Sora53: The end is too near! -sob-

Fans: Duh! Just look at the title of the chapter!  
  
Joe: The end? I'M TOO YOUNG!  
  
Corita: Meh. Finally. I need a better agent anyway...the Sora Fangirls keep on trying to kidnap me.  
  
Sora53: Oh, and about that room with the machine and the weird writing...I didn't put all the writing because I didn't remember much of it! -cheesy smile----  
  
Disclaimer: I still don't own Kingdom Hearts, and I own Corita. Okay? Meh.  
  
The doorway led then into another black orb, where they were picked up and carried gently down to a much larger area. This area was peaceful and there were no Heartless visible. Huge crystals scattered the many platforms that led down to a huge pillar of light at the bottom.  
  
"Where do you suppose that Ansem fellar went?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Dive into the most dangerous place and we'll find him!" Donald said as the group proceeded down the giant hole slowly.  
  
"Aw, you wimps! Why are we climbing down when we could be jumping?" Corita asked, moving over to the edge of the platform they were on and leaping off the edge.  
  
"Corita!" Sora said in suprise, but jumped after her. Donald and Goofy followed, and they quickly reached the bottom.  
  
"I thought you were afraid of heights!" Donald growled when they reached the bottom. Corita smiled.  
  
"Not anymore! Where do you suppose we go now?" She wondered.  
  
"Hmmm..." Goofy muttered, looking at the pillar of light in the distance. "Maybe we go in there?"  
  
The four of them walked over to the pillar, and saw that there was a glowing hole in the bottom.  
  
"Ladies first." Sora joked, pushing Corita in and jumping after her.  
  
They fell through a large dark void, until they reached a small platform with a glowing blue pillar shooting out of the middle of it. Looking out from the platform, they saw that they were in a large area that seemed endless, and other platforms of the same type with pillars shooting out of them scattered the endless space.  
  
"Should we just go into the pillar?" Corita asked.  
  
"Well, I guess..." Sora said, moving towards the bright pillar. "C'mon!"  
  
The four of them ran at the pillar, and were instantly pulled through more empty space, and were thrown onto the ground. Getting up and looking around, they couldn't believe their eyes.  
  
"We're in...Traverse Town?" Donald asked nervously, looking around.  
  
"This can't be Traverse Town..." Sora muttered, looking all over the place. They were standing in what appeared to be the Third District. "It must be an illusion..."  
  
"But why?" Corita asked, and Sora shook his head.  
  
"I don't know..."  
  
Sora carefully took a single step forward, and a sudden wave of Heartless instantly came at them. Whipping out their weapons, they fought the Heartless until every last one had been defeated, and there were more to appear.  
  
"Sora...don't walk! Bad things happen!" Donald growled as he shot a blizzard spell at a Shadow's face.  
  
"Sorry!" Sora said sarcastically.  
  
After the waves of Heartless had been defeated, a chest appeared in the center of the Third District. The group approached it very carefully.  
  
"Sora, don't open it this time." Corita said, lifting up her staff. Allow me!"  
  
Corita tapped the chest with her staff, but nothing happened.  
  
"Aw, what a rip off!" She cried as Sora tapped the chest and it opened right up.  
  
"It's because I have the key." Sora said, holding up his Keyblade and smiling. It was at this moment that Corita noticed what was swinging from the Keyblade.  
  
"Sora...isn't that Kairi's charm?" She asked. Sora looked down at his weapon and hid it behind his back.  
  
"No, of course not!" Sora said. "It's...mine!"  
  
"HURRY UP!" Donald cried. "WE NEED TO GET TO ANSEM!"  
  
"Donald's right, you know!" Sora said, running back to Donald and Goofy near the entrance to the First District. They opened the door, and were pulled back through to the other pillars.  
  
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After proceeding through all the previous worlds and getting items (Sora nearly died of happiness when he saw his cape in 'Halloween Town',) the group reached a bright red pillar, unlike the bright blue ones they'd seen before.  
  
"After you." Corita said politly to Donald. Donald smirked at her and walked into the pillar.  
  
They were instantly teleported to a small stone hallway with a door that led to a small room. Nervously looking around for any Heartless, the group entered the room.  
  
"What is this place?" Corita asked nervously.  
  
"Look at this thing!" Donald said, walking forward. There was a large machine in the room, and it had words on it. The group read what the strange machine said and they turned to each other, puzzled.  
  
"The realm of Kingdom Hearts? Tied by two keys...what's all this mean?" Corita asked. The others shrugged.  
  
Behind them, a loud crashing noise told them that more Heartless had arrived for battle.  
  
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After the Heartless had been defeated and they had left the creepy room, the group teleported back to the platform where the red pillar had been. Now, however, instead of a pillar of light, a bright blue hole leading into the platform rested in the middle of the platform.  
  
"Ugh, how much more of this do we have to go through?" Corita wondered as they carefully lept into the hole.  
  
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Having been conspicuously absent during the last bit of Neverland, Corita had never flown before. Luckily, she had been sprinkled with pixie dust, so when the others were flying she didn't plummet to the ground.  
  
"SORA! WHAT THE HECK IS GOING ON?!" Corita cried, clinging onto his neck even though she was floating in the air.  
  
"Corita...I can't breath." Sora said.  
  
"Well, why am I floating?"  
  
"It's called flying, Corita. Flying. If you hadn't been conspicuously absent when we were at Neverland, you would know how." Sora said, pulling away from her and moving towards Donald and Goofy.  
  
"Yeah, like I could help it." Corita mumbled as she carefully flew towards them. She didn't get much time to practice, however. In the distance was what appeared to be a huge mountain. Standing in the huge mountain was a massive black Heartless. It had the basic details of a human, but it had fangs, a pointy face, nose, and ears, and gigantic black wings.  
  
"I think we're supposed to be going into the mountain." Sora said meekly.  
  
"LET'S TAKE HIM!" Corita roared, moving carefully through the air.  
  
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Massive eruptions of fire, energy balls of doom, and being blown away by the creature's giant wings made the battle slightly difficult. Magic didn't seem to effect him, so everyone was left to hitting him with whatever they had. Staffs, shields, and giant keys clashed with the creature's skull. However, it didn't seem to want to die. It slashed at them with its arms and hangs, and blasted them with its wings. The battle wasn't made easier with the fact that Corita still was having trouble flying.  
  
"I'll just be over here! In this one place! Casting Curaga and Aeroga!" She called as the others stared at her and flew into battle.  
  
The battle raged for a long time, but the monster couldn't cope with 3 people attacking its head at the same time for much longer. A loud roar emitted from it, and it collapsed into the mountain. The creature vanished, and a strange object floated in the air.  
  
"I'll get it!" Sora called. He plucked the object out of the air looked at it. "Hey, it's another instruction manual!"  
  
The others gathered around him as he began to read.  
  
"'Super Glide-Glide Superbly!" Sora read out, looking at the cover. He opened it and read the inside.  
  
"'To glide much, much faster than that pathetic pixie dust will let you, simply glide in the same manner, but BEND ONE OF YOUR KNEES! This will make you go much faster!"' Sora read. "Wow, it's always about bending our knees, isn't it?"  
  
The group continued into the mountain, and climbed down many platforms and through various light portals. They followed this path for a long time, until they reached a room that had a green floor, stone walls, and the Heartless symbol was visible at the other end. The four of them walked to the Heartless symbol and examined it.  
  
"It looks like it might be a door if this stupid thing wasn't on it!" Donald cried as he tugged at the symbol. Behind them, a low rumbling filled their ears.  
  
"Not again...BEHEMOTH!" Corita cried as they turned to face the monster.  
  
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It was a battle like none of them had ever experienced. After the Behemoth was gone, giant waves of endless Heartless attacked them. As each wave was defeated, a little bit of the Heartless symbol was chipped off the doorway.  
  
"Keep fighting!" Sora cried, keeping an eye on the door.  
  
The waves of Heartless seemed like they would never end. The battles raged for at least an hour until the doorway was finally clear, and the Heartless waves ceased.  
  
"Doorway...clear..." Corita panted, pointing. "Let's...go..."  
  
They trudged into the next room, which was much smaller than any they'd seen before. There wasn't much to it at all; just a bunch of rocks and such. However, Sora was transfixed at what lay in front of them...  
  
It was the door from his dreams.  
  
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---Sora53: OH! THE SUSPENSE!!! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!  
  
Fans: Oh, shut up!  
  
Sora53: Fans, you'll be sad when this is all over!  
  
Fans: You'll write a sequel. You know you will.  
  
Sora53: STOP IT!!  
  
Corita: Sequel? -turns off her cell phone- There goes my chance to escape this funny farm...---

P.S. I just noticed that the little bars I do to separate sections have a little space in them all the time...meh.


	50. The war of light and dark begins

---Sora53: Happy 4th of July to all of our American readers!  
  
Corita: Couldn't you have made this chapter longer? Getting your heart attacked by Ansem's guardian isn't exactly painless...  
  
Sora53: Meh. Deal with it. You have a contract.  
  
Fans: Hey, Corita, these cookies you made are actually pretty good!  
  
Corita: -deep blush- Thank you...  
  
Riku Fangirls: -crazed sobs- Riku...possessed...darkness...gone...-sob-  
  
Sora53: Whatever.---  
  
Disclaimer: For the 50th time (wow...50...) I don't own Kingdom Hearts, but I own Corita! DEAL WITH IT!  
  
Sora stared at it, tranfixed by the mysterious door that had haunted his dreams that day on the Destiny Islands long ago.  
  
"Sora? What is it?" Corita asked him.  
  
"There! Listen!" He said, quieting Corita. A voice was indeed ringing in his ear; it seemed so familiar to him.  
  
"Careful. This is the last haven you'll find here." The voice said quietly. "Beyond, there is no light to protect you. But don't be afraid. Your heart is the mightiest weapon of all. Remember," the door continued, "You are the one who will open the door to the light."  
  
"I don't hear anything." Donald said, tapping his foot impatiently.  
  
"Strange...that voice was so familiar. Maybe it's just my imagination."  
  
"Maybe you'd better take a rest!" Goofy said to him.  
  
"No." Sora said defiantly, staring at the door. "We've got to defeat Ansem."  
  
"So open up the door!" Corita said, now tapping her foot along with Donald. Sora grabbed onto the handles of the door, and pulled them gently open.  
  
The room was suddenly flooded with a bright, blinding light. Sora felt himself being pulled forward through the door, and they were thrown onto solid ground once again.  
  
"Ugh...Sora, why did you open the door?" Corita asked as she pulled herself off of the sand. The sun was beating down on them, yet the ocean's cool breeze kept them cool.  
  
"Corita..." Sora said very slowly as he stood up and looked around. Corita stood up next to him, looking around as well, not daring to belive her eyes.  
  
"Is this...is this our island?" He asked.  
  
"I don't know..." Corita said, trembling.  
  
Behind them, Donald was feeling much less emotional. He was spitting out a mouthful of sand while Goofy started building a sand castle.  
  
"C'mon, you two!" Sora said to them as he and Corita continued to absorb their surroundings.  
  
"What is it? Where are we going?" Donald groaned as Sora grabbed his wing and started pulling him.  
  
"To where this all began." Sora said simply.  
  
"The Secret Place." Corita said as she grabbed Goofy's arm.  
  
They proceeded towards the Secret Place and were about to enter it until a voice stopped them.  
  
"This world has been connected."  
  
"What was that?" Goofy cried, whirling around.  
  
"Tied to the darkness...soon to be completly eclipsed."  
  
"Those words...he said them to me before..." Sora muttered to himself as he finally understood something.  
  
"There is so very much to learn. You understand so little."  
  
"Well, isn't he nice." Corita muttered through gritted teeth.  
  
"A meaningless effort." Ansem's voice said as the island began to rumble and they were surrounded by a blast of white light. "One who knows nothing can understand nothing."  
  
As the bright light began to clear, Sora and Corita found themselves not on the islands they once knew, but a horrifically twisted version of their old home. They seemed to be floating in space, the ground underneath the sand had become purple and cracked, strange trees and huge purple cliffs rose from the ground, and a huge crater had appeared far back in the island where their home had been on the true islands long ago.  
  
Whirling around and looking at this terrible sight, the twins also spotted something something down by the seashore; Riku stood in his clothes of darkness, staring out to sea.  
  
"C'mon. Time to teach Ansem a lesson." Sora said boldly as they ran to see him. They climbed down off of the small areas rising out of the ground, and ran towards the severly cracked ground upon which Riku stood.  
  
"Take a look at this tiny place." Ansem said, speaking from who appeared to be Riku. "To the heart seeking freedom, this island is a prison surrounded by water. And so this boy sought out to escape from this prison. He sought a way to cross over into other worlds, and he opened his heart to darkness."  
  
Ansem finished speaking, and he turned around to face the group that had reached him, and were now in battle position. As he turned, Riku's face was swallowed by darkness, and Ansem stood where Riku's body had been.  
  
"Riku!" Sora cried as Riku was swallowed by the darkness.  
  
"Don't bother." Ansem said to Sora in a cruel, cutting voice. "Your voice can no longer reach him where he is. His heart belongs again to darkness! All worlds begin in darkness, and all so end. The heart is no different. Darkness sprouts within it, it grows, consumes it! Such is its nature." Ansem said with a slight smile. "In the end, every heart returns to the darkness whence it came!" He said as he vanished from in front of them and reappeared behind them. The group turned quickly to face him and lept backwards.  
  
"You see," he continued, "Darkness is the heart's true essence."  
  
"That's not true!" Sora said, interrupting Ansem. Corita, Donald, and Goofy didn't think it wise to interrupt the self-proclaimed King of Darkness while he was ranting, but they let him speak, as what he was saying was very true.  
  
"The heart may be weak, and sometimes, it may even give in. But I've learned, that deep down there's a light that never goes out!"  
  
Ansem slowly began to rise into the air, his orange eyes still piercing into Sora's sky blue eyes.  
  
"So, you have come this far, and still you understand nothing." Ansem whispered, his voice dangerously soft. "Every light must fade, every heart return to darkness!" He roared, and a dark blast erupted behind him. A Heartless creature was right behind him, his guardian of darkness.  
  
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"Get up, Donald!" Corita cried as she cast a cure spell on him.  
  
"I'm up, let's go!" Donald muttered as he pulled himself up and ran after Ansem. Corita followed after him, and the battle continued.  
  
Ansem, still being the self-proclaimed King of Darkness, wasn't very kind when it came to battling. His guardian made matters worse, as it defended Ansem and blocked many of their attacks.  
  
"SORA! WATCH OUT!" Corita cried as Ansem's guardian glowed black and flew away from Ansem.  
  
"Why?" He asked as the guardian flew towards him.  
  
"LOOK BEHIND YOU!" She cried as she cast another cure spell on Donald.  
  
"Huh?" Sora said, turning around, but he was too late; Ansem's guardian flew into Sora and attatched itself to him.  
  
"What the heck?" Sora cried as he was surrounded by darkness and Ansem flew towards him, surrounded by a cage of energy.  
  
"Come, open your heart..." Ansem said softly as he and his guardian attacked Sora at the same time.  
  
"C'mon, you two!" Corita cried as Donald and Goofy ran in to help.  
  
Ansem and his guardian were going a decent job of grinding Sora to a pulp; without Corita, Donald, and Goofy, he probably would have been. Sora's face showed that he was in a great deal of pain, even though no cry came from him. Eventually Ansem's guardian released his grip on Sora's heart and flew back to rejoin his master.  
  
"Are you okay?" Corita asked as Sora stood on the sand, panting.  
  
"I think so..." Sora said as he tried to catch his breath.  
  
Ansem and his guardian flew back over to them, hovering menacingly above the twins.  
  
Corita stared straight up at Ansem, protecting her brother. "You leave him alone!" She cried daringly.  
  
"Corita...no offence, but I wouldn't say stuff like that to him." Sora said as Ansem's face broke into a grin.  
  
"Oh, look who's talking, Mr. Inspirational Speech." Corita whispered to him. Ansem's guardian, in this split second, flew away from Ansem and latched onto Corita.  
  
"CORITA! PAY ATTENTION!" Sora cried, leaping away from her as a dark light surrounded her.  
  
"Huh? WHA!" Corita cried, looking down at the darkness surrounding her heart.  
  
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After everyone being attacked by Ansem's guardian, all four of them were feeling tremendously weak. His guardian had sapped them of their power, and their items in their stocks were currently running low. However, even Ansem had a limit for the time being, and he was thrown back into the giant crater that had been created before. There, he floated, waiting to be followed.  
  
"Okay, stock up on items again." Donald quacked quietly. He'd been the latest to suffer Ansem's attack and wasn't regaining his strength like the others were now.  
  
"Here Donald, drink this." Goofy said, tossing him an elixer. The others drank an elixer as well, and everyone was feeling much better.  
  
"Everyone ready?" Sora asked. "All right, let's go!"  
  
Sora led the group towards the crater where Ansem had been waiting. Sora lept in first, but a invisible barrier blocked out Corita, Donald, and Goofy.  
  
"Hey! No fair!" Corita said, kicking the barrier hard with her foot. This only made matters worst, however. Now, not only could she help Sora, her right foot was in a great deal of pain.  
  
"Look!" Goofy said, pointing into the crater. Sora was staring up at them, but he didn't have much time to talk. At that moment, the ground began to rumble once again, and Sora's shadow began to warp. It rose from the ground and towered over him.  
  
Sora looked up at it and took a single nervous step back. However, he'd faced Darkside before...he knew what to do...  
  
"Oh, Sora!" Corita moaned, peering through the barrier as he slashed at Darkside. "DON'T YOU TWO CARE?!" Corita roared as Donald and Goofy jumped.  
  
"Well, things like this happen all the time." Donald said truthfully.  
  
"This is Sora's battle, not ours." Goofy explained.  
  
"I guess you're right." Corita said sadly as she sat next to her friends and watched the battle progress. Sora quickly made Darkside vanish in an eruption of dark light, and Ansem re-appeared where Darkside had been standing, an evil grin on his face.  
  
"HE HAS TO FIGHT ANSEM ALONE!?" Corita screamed at Donald and Goofy, who were also staring down into the crater in disbelief.  
  
"NO FAIR!" Donald cried.  
  
"Get em, Sora!" Goofy cheered.  
  
"SHOW HIM WHAT THE KEYBLADE WAS MADE FOR!" Corita yelled, and Sora nodded towards them. Sora clashed with Ansem, and their battle commenced.  
  
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The Keyblade Master had a bit of trouble during this fight, but Corita kept healing him from the sidelines, followed by a scowl from Ansem. Sora kept getting hit by Ansem's guardian, but he found that by attacking Ansem, the guardian swiftly retreated to protect its master.  
  
This battle, for some reason, seemed much shorter than the previous battle. Ansem didn't seem to want to fight as much. When he saw that Sora was still in high spirits and ready to fight, he gave another evil grin and vanished into the darkness.  
  
"Where'd he go?" Sora asked. The others shrugged their shoulders.  
  
"He could've at least left instructions on how to get out of this stupid crater..." Sora mumbled.  
  
Sora, however, didn't have time to escape. A huge flash of darkness erupted from the crater, swallowing all of them. They were pulled into the darkness, and saw no more.  
  
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---Sora53: Meh. What a nightmare for me. About 53290 boss battles in a row, and guess who doesn't like to write boss battles?  
  
Fans: Um...you.  
  
Sora53: Very good!  
  
Sora Fangirls: Oh no!!!!!! SORA MAY BE HURT!  
  
Joe: Um...Corita?  
  
Corita: What now?  
  
Joe: I just want to say...it was so brave of you to stand up to Ansem like that....-deep blush-  
  
Corita: Meh...stupid fanboys...--- 


	51. The Final Battle

---Sora53: Blah. Lots of random fighting in this chappie.  
  
Joe: Ansem is so COOL!!!  
  
Sora53: Meh. Go home, Joe.  
  
Joe: Are you kidding? When we're this close to the end? No way! This beats pizza and DVDs anyday!  
  
Fans: Wow. He must really like Corita.  
  
Joe: -blush- No...  
  
Corita: Evil fanboys...---  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I own Corita. I bet you're jealous.  
  
The four friends found themselves surrounded by complete and utter darkness. They seemed to be floating in the air, surrounded by a darkness so pure that it was almost suffocating. It was completly silent as well, until Ansem's booming voice echoed through the darkness.  
  
"Behold the Endless Abyss!" Ansem's voice boomed, piercing through the still air. "Within it lies the heart of all worlds...Kingdom Hearts!"  
  
As he spoke, Sora, Corita, Donald, and Goofy turned in the darkness, and saw a strange sight in the distance. There was a large stone platform, and sitting upon it was the biggest door any of them had ever seen. The white door stood out clearly against its dark background.  
  
"Look as hard as you are able. You'll not find even the smallest glimmer of light." Ansem's voice continued as the four of them continued to peer into the darkness's infinite depths. "From those dark depths are all hearts born. Even yours."  
  
They had very little time to absorb this statement, as Sora had just looked down, and gasped. The others looked down, and they let out a gasp as well.  
  
"Darkness conquers all worlds!" Ansem's voice cried as the four of them stared at what was stationed in the darkness.  
  
Something huge, vile, and dangerous was hovering in the abyss. What it was exactly, none of them were sure...  
  
It appeared to have the shape of a large ship, but on the front was a huge, grotesque face. On the other end, a huge creature of darkness was fixed on, surrounded by a cage of the strange material that made up the body of the 'ship'. Ansem seemed to have merged himself to this creation, and was attacted to the huge monster's end, connected to it by many fleshy cords.  
  
The four of them barely had any time to absorb this sight, however, as the darkness around them suddenly gave way, and they were falling through the air. Sora kept falling straight down into the darkness, as Corita, Donald, and Goofy were pulled away into a glowing red, green, and black portal.  
  
Sora was falling, unsupported by the darkness that was swallowing him...he looked up, and saw Ansem's face smirking down at him...and then he was surrounded by total darkness.  
  
"Giving up already?" said a soft voice in Sora's head. "C'mon Sora, I thought you were stronger than that!"  
  
Riku's taunts that had once filled him with rage suddenly filled him with something else, as strange as it was...hope. Refusing to be swallowed by the darkness, Sora suddenly found himself flying upwards, Keyblade in hand.  
  
Ansem's face showed that he was slightly shocked that Sora had managed to survive, but he was ready nontheless. He summoned a dangerous-looking weapon into his hands in a flash of darkness, and Sora flew towards him, ready to attack.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
Corita pulled herself to her feet, and looked around. The whole area was smothered in darkness, except for the Heartless symbol on the ground, which was glowing a bright blue. Looking around nervously, Corita couldn't see anything but the darkness, illuminated by the Heartless symbol on the ground.  
  
"Donald? Goofy?" She called out cautiously. Her voice echoed throughout the chamber, but there was no response.  
  
Suddenly, without warning, Corita was stuck in the back by a long-clawed black hand. Wincing, she whipped around, and was met by a sea of glowing eyes. She grabbed her staff, and proceeded to strike them with magic, but there were so many of them...  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
Sora's second face-off with Ansem was slightly easier than the previous one, as there wasn't a guardian attached to Ansem this time. Now that there was nothing blocking his attacks, or latching onto him and attacking him from the inside, Sora found the battle rather easy. However, the giant lasers that appeared out of nowhere were rather annoying. After Ansem had been struck down again, a giant portal appeared beneath him, in front of a large area that appeared to be the core of the giant creature. This area was blocked off, however. Remembering how Corita, Goofy, and Donald had been pulled into one of these, he turned away from Ansem and flew into the portal.  
  
Sora felt himself behind swallowed by the portal, and pulled forward at a great speed. He was thrown down after a few moments, and looked around. It was completly dark, except for the Heartless symbol on the ground.  
  
"SORA!!!" called a familiar voice, and Sora turned to see Corita battling a huge wave of Shadows back. "A little help here?"  
  
"Corita? Are you okay?" He called as he ran towards her.  
  
"Never better." She said grimly as Sora helped her defeat the Shadows. With the two of them fighting, the weak Shadows were swiftly taken care of.  
  
"Now what?" Sora asked as the room went still and the Heartless symbol dimmed out.  
  
"That's what." Corita said, pointing to what had appeared above them. It was an orb-shaped object, caught in two long, stringy bands. It glowed with a red and black light, illuminating their faces against the darkness.  
  
"What should we do?" Corita wondered.  
  
"LET'S ATTACK IT!" Sora cried, leaping forward and striking the orb with the Keyblade, Kairi's charm dangling from the end. After 2 or 3 quick hits, the orb let out a bright blast of light, and the twins were bathed in it. Covering their eyes from the brightness of it, they felt themselves being pulled forward again, and felt themselves being tossed through the air, back to the main area of the Endless Abyss.  
  
"Woah!" Corita cried as they were tossed back into the air. She grabbed Sora's arm before she realized that she was flying.  
  
"Whew...that was fun...let's not do it again." She muttered as she swept her hair out of her face.  
  
"Look up there!" Sora said, prodding Corita's shoulder. A glowing, blue and black portal had appeared above several strange-looking laser-shooting things attached to the ship. The strange-shaped things were now shooting their lasers at Sora and Corita.  
  
"Well?" Corita asked as she flew out of the way of a laser.  
  
"ATTACK!" Sora cried, and they flew in to defeat them.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
"Gawrsh, where am I? I hope Sora, Corita, and Donald are okay..." Goofy mumbled sadly as he sat alone in the darkness, hanging his head. He didn't notice the multiple pairs of gleaming yellow eyes that were fixed hungrily on him.  
  
"Well...I guess I should-" Goofy started, standing up. However, he never got to finish his sentance. At that moment, Sora and Corita came toppling from the portal above Goofy, falling on top of him.  
  
"Sora! Corita! You're okay!" Goofy said cheerfully as he tried to get up.  
  
"Sorry about that, Goofy." Corita said with a grin as she got off of him and Sora.  
  
"Aw, it's okay! Where are we, anyway?" Goofy asked, his voice slightly worried.  
  
"Hmm...we were in a place like this before..." Sora muttered as he turned away from them. "And there were Heartless there..."  
  
"So, there should be some here, too!" Corita said as she turned as well.  
  
"You mean there?" Goofy wondered as he pointed to the sea of glowing eyes.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
"We're back here?" Goofy asked as they came out of the portal and appeared in the main area once again.  
  
"Yup...and we're missing one feathered freak." Corita pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, we should probably find Donald...it wouldn't be very nice to leave him in the Endless Abyss." Sora said as he flew above them, staring down at the ship, trying to figure out what to do next.  
  
"That face there's looking mighty suspicious." Goofy pointed out, staring at the face on the end of the ship.  
  
"Let's get it! Let's destroy this thing, destroy Ansem, and go home!" Corita cried, speeding towards the face.  
  
The Face had the features of a human face, but it was so twisted...so grotesque that it was hard to look at. The Face's teeth were long and jagged, and the three friends had to carefully avoid being torn apart by them.  
  
"Well, at least I have the ethers to myself now." Corita muttered as she drank one down quickly, and continued to blast the Face with spells.  
  
The Face was much easier than any fight they'd had with Ansem, and since three people were attacking it, it was defeated quickly. The Face, having been defeated, opened its mouth wide, and another Portal of Darkness appeared there.  
  
"We have to fly into its MOUTH?" Corita asked nervously.  
  
"Don't worry, I think it's dead." Sora said, prodding the Face with the Keyblade.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
"Helloooooo! Donald?" Goofy called out, but the only response he recieved was a terrified Donald squawking his way towards the three of them, pointing behind him.  
  
"More Heartless?" Sora sighed. "Not Heartless! Super scary, powerful, sword-swinging Heartless!" Donald cried.  
  
"Ooh, scary." Corita muttered as several of the Heartless appeared in front of them.  
  
"Just wait until you get hit by one of their swords." Donald said.  
  
"Uh oh."  
  
The sword-carrying Heartless were easily the hardest Heartless they'd faced so far. Of course, they'd fought some of them at the End of the World, but now it was hard to see anything, and there were many more of them.  
  
However, they eventually defeated their foes, and they once again escape the dark depths. As they flew back out of the portal, the Face behind them crumbled and exploded, leaving no trace of where they'd come from.  
  
"The Core! Look!" Corita said, pointing upwards. The invisible barrier that had blocked their path to the core had been shattered, leaving the Core vunerable and exposed.  
  
"Let's get it!" Sora cried, followed by his friends.  
  
The Core, having no defense whatsoever, was a very easy target. Each member of the team only hit the Core a few times before it was defeated. The jelly- like Corita shrivled, and started to turn a brownish wrinkly color, just like the Face.  
  
Above them, the ship's last line of defense had been activated. Ansem had recovered, and was ready to fight once again. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
The battle wasn't easy. Ansem seemed to have come up with some new attacks, and loved to use them on the unsuspecting team.  
  
"Donald! Drink this!" Corita said, tossing him an ether. Donald looked up at her in awe.  
  
"You're giving this to me? Of your own free will?" He asked, startled.  
  
"Well, why not?" Corita asked, shrugging.  
  
"You've just ! LOOK OUT!" Donald cried, flying away quickly.  
  
"Why?" Corita asked, turning to what Donald had pointed out.  
  
Corita was struck with one of the giant monster's clawed hands. She was tossed away from the battle as easily as being a rag doll.  
  
"Corita!" Sora, Donald, and Goofy cried at the same time. The three of them had flown to safety moments before the monster had struck.  
  
Something peciliar was spreading from Sora's fingertips. It moved through his Keyblade...  
  
"SORA! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!" Donald cried.  
  
"I...don't know..." he said, startled as Corita flew back to them, looking slightly shocked.  
  
"Sora...did you heal me?" She asked quietly. Sora nodded nervously.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
"C'mon, he isn't that hard!" Sora said, striking Ansem with his Keyblade, as Ansem struck back.  
  
"Easy for you to say, Mr. Hero!" Donald moaned, drinking an ether and tossing the bottle into the Endless Abyss.  
  
"Stop it, Donald. Get into the battle!" Corita called to him.  
  
"I'm working on it..."  
  
The final battle with Ansem quickly got more and more dangerous. Ansem was now resorting to any means to win the battle. Lasers coming out of nowhere were considered normal, and Ansem showed no signs of weakness for the first 20 minutes.  
  
Even the King of Darkness, however, couldn't ignore being bashed with a giant key, a shield, and two staffs for too long. The giant ship he was attached to began to explode from the core out, and Sora, Corita, Donald, and Goofy quickly flew to safety, watching the giant ship erupt before their very eyes. It began to shrink, however, and the flames surrounding it grew smaller, until there was nothing left but empty, dark space.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
---Sora Fangirls: YAY!! SORA CAST A CURE SPELL ON CORITA! -does the happy dance-  
  
Corita: -hums the Gummi Ship Song- Yeah, yeah...  
  
Sora Fangirls: IN YOUR FACE, CORITA!  
  
Corita: Go away or I will blast you.  
  
Sora53: Meh. The evil ship thingy of doom was hard to describe, so the KH manual helped me!  
  
Fans: Haha.  
  
Sora Fangirls: OW! SHE BLASTED US!  
  
Corita: You deserved it.  
  
Joe: Corita...you're so cool...  
  
Corita: Help me...--- 


	52. Extra: SuGaR pArTy!

Final Chapter Party  
  
Disclaimer: Meh. I don't own Kingdom Hearts. I own Corita. Hahaha.  
  
Sora53: It's here! The final chapter of 'Twin Hearts'!  
  
Fans: ¬.¬ I can barely contain my excitment.  
  
Sora53: GOOD! Now, since this is the end and everything...I thought we'd have a party! Everyone's invited!  
  
Fans: Really? Whoo.  
  
Sora53: Now, we have chips, soda, pizza, fries, burgers, hot dogs, punch, and a live band to perform for us. Anything else?  
  
Fans: Duh. SUGAR!! -Sugar randomly pours from a ceiling into a bowl-  
  
Sora53: Good thinking! Our guests will be arriving any time now...  
  
Doorbell: RIIIIINGGG!!!  
  
Sora53: -squeal- Someone's here!!!  
  
Door: OOOPPPENNN!!! -Sora and Corita walk in-  
  
Sora53: Yay! You're the first to arrive!  
  
Sora: Yay! SuGaR!! -runs to the sugar bowl-  
  
Sora Fangirls: WE'RE HERE!!!  
  
Sora: Oh no.  
  
Doorbell: RIIIINGGG!!!  
  
Door: OOOPPPENNN!!! -Riku and Riku Fangirls pour in-  
  
Doorbell: RIIIINGGG!!!  
  
Door: OOOPPPENNN!!! -Joe and Ansem walk in-  
  
Sora53: Yay! More guests!  
  
Joe: Yay! I came with Ansem! He wasn't too happy about it cuz he wanted to bring all his minions of darkness and all that junk but since I used my grappling hook to latch onto the back of the train he decided he didn't want me hurt and all that because he's really a nice guy that's misunderstood everyone says he's evil cuz he has silver hair and orange eyes but he's really okay and he likes chocolate cake and so do I isn't that freaky?  
  
Everyone at party: X.X -is dead-  
  
Joe: LOOK! SUGAR!  
  
Sora: Get your own, freak! You associate with silver-haired freaks!  
  
Riku: I HEARD THAT! -steals sugar bowl-  
  
Sora: NOOO!!! MY SuGaR!!! -dies-  
  
Sora53: ....  
  
Fans: So, Joe...you're a Corita Fanboy, is that true?  
  
Joe: Corita? -dies-  
  
Corita: Ugh.  
  
Doorbell: RIIIINGGG!!!  
  
Door: OOOPPPENNN!!! -Donald, Goofy, and Kairi walk in-  
  
Sora53: Yay! I think that's everyone! Time for my speech!  
  
Everyone: Speech? -groan-  
  
Sora53: GATHER ROUND! NOW!!  
  
Everyone: Meep! -gathers round-  
  
Sora53: A year ago, I was a young, foolish little freak.  
  
Ansem: YOU STILL ARE!  
  
Sora53: ¬.¬ Anyway, I decided to write a fanfic. Not just any fanfic. A Kingdom Hearts fanfic!  
  
Everyone: Ooh.  
  
Sora53: Corita, come up here! NOW!  
  
Corita: Meep!  
  
Sora53: Here's a fun fact. Corita started out, not as Sora's sister, but as just a random friend.  
  
Corita: What?  
  
Sora53: Yup! I decided to make her Sora's sister after about 2 sentances into the ficcy. I don't know why. It just seemed easier.  
  
Everyone: Yay.  
  
Riku: I KICK SORA'S BUTT IN THE FIRST CHAPTER!  
  
Everyone: -wild applause-  
  
Sora53: Yes, we know. Anyway, I just wanted to thank everyone who's ever bothered to read/review my ficcy. I'd list you here, but there isn't enough room. Plus it would make my speech really boring.  
  
Everyone: -is asleep-  
  
Sora53: Now, I know you're wondering...am I going to write a sequel?  
  
Everyone: Oh, tell us. We might die if we didn't know.  
  
Sora53: The answer is...MOST LIKELY!  
  
Everyone: YAY! WHOO!! PARTY!  
  
Sora53: What? You're...happy?  
  
Fans: No. We're celebrating because there's a tiny chance you won't write a sequel.  
  
Sora53: ¬.¬ Well, I guess that's it.  
  
Sora Fangirls: PARTY!!  
  
Sora53: I want to send out a thank-you to everyone in my guild on Neopets! You guys are the best!  
  
Everyone from my guild: Thank you!  
  
Sora53: I want to send an extra special thank-you to my pal Kingdom hearts gal (WalkingIntoWallsPerson on here) She was there since the start!  
  
Doorbell: RIIIINGGG!!!  
  
Door: OOOPPPENNN!!! -hundreds of random people pour in-  
  
Sora53: So, to everyone out there...  
  
Everyone: THANK YOU! -random party continues-  
  
Corita: Sora, I think you've had enough sugar.  
  
Sora: IhavenotIdon'tknowwhatyoumeanheygivemebackthesugarCorita!!  
  
Corita: NO! -steals sugar-  
  
Sora: MY SuGaR!!! -runs after sugar-  
  
Donald: Aw, siblings.  
  
Goofy: It's so special! -sniff-  
  
Sora53: Corita, where are you going?  
  
Corita: TO HIDE THE SUGAR! -runs away-  
  
Door: WE HAVE AN ESCAPEEEEEEEEE!!!  
  
Corita: I did not escape from the party! -blasts door-  
  
Door: -is blasted-  
  
Sora: BRING ME THE SUGAR OR I SHALL ATTACK WITH THE KEYBLADE!  
  
Ansem: -steals Keyblade-  
  
Sora: Hey!  
  
Sora Fangirls: -steals shoes-  
  
Sora: MY SHOES!!!! -dies-  
  
Riku Fangirls: -kidnaps Riku-  
  
Joe/random Fanboys from nowhere: -watches DVDs-  
  
Kairi: I SHALL RULE YOU ALL!!! MUAHAHAHAHA -evil laugh-  
  
Sora53: Enjoy the last chapter of 'Twin Hearts'!  
  
Kairi: -steals chapter- MUAHAHAHA I'M SO EVIL!!  
  
Ansem: Oooh...sugar...I SHALL RULE WITH THE SUGAR!  
  
Corita: -blasts Ansem/Kairi- GIVE THE CHAPTER BACK!!  
  
Kairi: Okay...-sniff-  
  
Fans: Muahahaha we should start an evil person cult!  
  
Sora53: Save me...please...  
  
Live Band: -starts playing "Simple and Clean"-  
  
Everyone: OOH!! -dances-  
  
Sora53: Yay! They're all quiet!  
  
Joe: Corita, want to dance with me?  
  
Corita: ....Fine. ONLY dancing.  
  
Joe: YAY!  
  
Riku Fangirls: Riku...wanna dance?  
  
Riku: There's about 500 of you.  
  
Riku Fangirls: WE DON'T MIND!  
  
Sora: Kairi, want to dance?  
  
Kairi: Aww....-deep blush-  
  
Ansem: Sora53, want to dance?  
  
Sora53: What? O.o  
  
Ansem: Please? -sob-  
  
Sora53: Fine.  
  
Ansem: Will you open your heart to the darkness?  
  
Sora53: No.  
  
Ansem: Okay.  
  
Fans: I guess, since Sora53 is busy, I'll finish this up! From everyone here, thank you so much! -sniff- No one wants me to dance with them...  
  
Random Person: I think, you're like, so cool! Wanna dance?  
  
Fans: :) Bye! 


	53. The Promise

---Sora53: I know you're sick of me now, ever since that crazy party...  
  
Fans: She's sad because Sora didn't dance with her.  
  
Sora53: Joe and Corita are bonding now, ever since they danced at the party...they're just friends, though. Corita might go crazy if anything else happened...  
  
Fans: That's so sweet! .  
  
Sora53: Meh. Not much else to say...  
  
Sora: SORA53! Want to dance?  
  
Sora53: -dies from happiness---  
  
Disclaimer: For the final time, I don't own anything but Corita. I suppose I own the Fans and Joe, however...  
  
Ansem, having already defeated about 50 times by the group, was very weak. However, he still managed to pull himself away from the wreckage of the ship.  
  
"It is futile." He whispered when he reached their level in the air. "The Keyblade alone cannot seal the door to darkness."  
  
With obvious effort, Ansem turned towards the giant, gleaming door. "Kingdom Hearts!" He shouted. "Fill me with the power of darkness!"  
  
As he spoke, the door slowly opened a crack, and darkness began to creep out of it.  
  
"Supreme darkness..." Ansem continued as the darkness moved towards him.  
  
"You're wrong." Sora said softly. "I know now, without a doubt...Kingdom Hearts...is light!"  
  
The darkness that had been creeping towards Ansem suddenly vanished. In its place, shining right from Kingdom Hearts, was a bright ray of light. It struck Ansem straight in the chest, and he gasped with pain.  
  
"Light...but why?" Ansem whispered as the light consumed him. After several moments, the light grew suddenly brighter, and Ansem was surrounded by it. He was swallowed by the light, and the beam of light grew dimmer until it faded.  
  
"Come on!" Sora said to his friends as he flew to the stone platform in front of the door.  
  
"What now?" Corita asked as they landed smoothly on the stone surface.  
  
"We push!" Sora said as he ran towards the door.  
  
Donald and Goofy took one side of the door; Sora and Corita took the other side. The door creaked very quietly, but it barely moved at all. After about a minute of pushing, Goofy peeking into the door, and let out a gasp.  
  
"Stop staring and keep pushing!" Donald growled, but curiousity got the better of him. Four heads peeked into what the door concealed.  
  
"The Heartless?!" All four of them cried, and they quickly went back to pushing. Inside the door, thousands, maybe millions, of Heartless monsters waited.  
  
"Hurry!" Donald shouted as they continued to push the door.  
  
"I can't..." Sora said, still shoving hopelessly at the door.  
  
"Don't give up!" a voice rang out, echoing in the darkness. A hand suddenly appeared on the outside rim to the door. The glove was oddly familiar...  
  
"Riku?" Corita gasped in suprise as she looked up from pushing.  
  
"C'mon, you guys! Together we can do it!" Riku said from the inside of Kingdom Hearts.  
  
"Okay!" They said as they continued with their pushing. They persisted with shoving the door, but even with Riku's help, the door barely moved a few inches.  
  
"It's hopeless!" Donald cried after several more minutes.  
  
Suddenly, a bright light shone out from behind the crack left in the door. Goofy and Donald peeked inside, and they cried out in glee. Sora and Corita looked inside as well, and saw a mouse perched on one of the strange stone formations inside Kingdom Hearts.  
  
"Your Majesty!" Donald and Goofy called out in happiness.  
  
King Mickey turned for a moment, and then he held up a second Keyblade. It was identical to Sora's, except that the gold and silver were reversed.  
  
"Now, Sora! Let's close this door for good!" Mickey said as his Keyblade gleamed in the darkness.  
  
"But-" Sora started, but couldn't find the words to finish.  
  
"Don't worry." Mickey said, as if reading his mind. "There will always be a door to the light."  
  
"Sora, you can trust King Mickey!" Goofy said as he looked up from pushing.  
  
"Now! They're coming!" Riku cried as he looked back at the swarming Heartless.  
  
"Donald, Goofy, thank you." Mickey said as he turned to face them before the door was closed.  
  
Riku turned away from King Mickey and the Heartless to look Sora in the eye.  
  
"Take care of her." He whispered as Sora looked up at him.  
  
Sora nodded, and he gave the door one final push. The door closed, and they stepped away from it. Sora lept back and held up his Keyblade, and light gathered at the end of it. Inside Kingdom Hearts, Mickey was doing the same. The light surrounded the door, pulling it in...the door to Kingdom Hearts slowly vanished, and Riku and King Mickey were lost.  
  
The four of them stood in silence for a moment, absorbing what had happened. Sora turned sadly away from where the door had been, and he caught a glimpse of red hair. Not turning to look at his friends, he ran off towards Kairi. Donald tried to follow, but Goofy and Corita held him back.  
  
"Let them be alone for a minute." Corita said to Donald as he stood next to them, watching Sora run off in the distance.  
  
"Kairi!" Sora called out as he reached the edge of the stone platforms. Kairi was standing on a different platform, which was still attatched to the stone one.  
  
"Sora!" Kairi said, slightly suprised as she moved to the edge of the platform. Suddenly, the area rumbled loudly, and the two platforms on which they stood began to move apart. Kairi reached out for Sora, and he grabbed her hand.  
  
"Kairi! Remember what you said before? I'm always with you, too. I'll come back to you. I promise!" Sora cried over the rumbling of the platforms.  
  
"I know you will!" Kairi answered, just before their hands slipped apart.  
  
The platforms were too far apart for them to hold each other's hands, but they still looked to each other. The darkness had begun to vanish, and the night sky twinkled above them, empty and bare.  
  
Suddenly, behind Sora, there was an eruption of stars. Thousands of tiny rays of light shot out from behind him, and they moved towards the sky, finding their place in the heavens. Behind Kairi, huge palm trees and sandy beaches shot out from the ground, as well as bridges and houses. Kairi wheeled around to look at this for a brief moment, and then she looked back up at Sora. He was almost entirely engulfed in light. He was shouting something, and Kairi strained her eyes to hear what it was, but he was too far away, and being swallowed by light. Finally, he was engulfed in it, and Kairi couldn't see him anymore. The light at the edge of the ocean began to fade, and a single tear ran down Kairi's cheek as she smiled.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
The sun beat down on the Destiny Islands, as it did every day. Kairi walked the path she and Sora had walked often, on their way to the Secret Place, nestled in the trees. Kairi bent down and entered the Secret Place, where it was nice and cool. The wind made an odd whistling noise in the room, and Kairi walked along the wall, looking at the pictures she, Riku, Corita, and Sora had drawn so long ago. Her fingers, which had been moving along the wall, suddenly stopped. She was staring down at the picture Sora and she had scribbled long ago. They had drawn each other that day, but Sora must've come back and drawn something else....  
  
She could almost see him there, scribbling it...she reached out to touch his smiling face, but he vanished... More tears rolled down Kairi's cheeks as she drew a paupu fruit moving towards Sora, as he had drawn one moving towards her.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
"Well, now what do we do?" Donald asked sadly as they moved up the winding rode. The sun shone brightly and the wind blew gently on their path, where they were walking. There was nothing but a long, tan path, a few trees, and endless plains of grass.  
  
"We've gotta find Riku and King Mickey." Sora answered as they walked.  
  
"But, uh, where do we start lookin' for that there door to the light?" Goofy asked.  
  
They slowly stopped walking, and thought for a moment. Sighing, it was obvious that they had no clue where to start.  
  
"Huh?" Corita said, looking up again. "Isn't that Pluto?"  
  
Sora, Donald, and Goofy looked up again as well. Pluto was walking across the path with something in his mouth.  
  
"Hey, Pluto. Where have you been?" Goofy asked.  
  
"Hey!" Donald cried, pointing at Pluto's mouth. He held what appeared to be a note.  
  
"Gawrsh, that's the King's seal!" Goofy cried, pointing to the small green symbol on the note.  
  
"Hey, have you seen King Mickey?" Sora asked, bending down to ask Pluto. Pluto, instead of answering, lept away and began running up the path.  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for?" Corita said.  
  
"Let's go!" Sora said as he lead the group, following Pluto.  
  
They started up the path, following Pluto. The path was long and twisting, but it lead up a hill. Surely, over the hill....  
  
"Remember, Sora." A voice said in his ear, the all-too familiar voice. "You are the one who will open the door to the light."  
  
"Sora? You okay?" Corita asked, who had caught up to him.  
  
"I'm fine." He said, shaking his head to get rid of the voice now that he was talking to someone.  
  
"I guess I was wrong." Corita said, looking up at the sky.  
  
"What do you mean?" Sora asked.  
  
"On the Gummi Ship. I said our journey was almost over." She said, turning back to him with a smile. "It's only just begun."  
  
Sora returned the smile, and they looked back at Pluto, who was still running ahead, leading the way to their next journey.  
  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------  
  
Sora53: -is dancing with Sora-  
  
Fans: Yay! The end! -whispers- Sora53 was crying when she wrote it...-  
  
Sora53: I HEARD THAT!  
  
Riku Fangirls: -sob- -sob- -sob- -sob- -sob- -sob- Riku...gone! -sob- -sob- -sob- -sob-  
  
Corita: Oh, stop. You never know what'll happen in KH 2...--- 


End file.
